Modeling the thermal state of the oceanic crust

• Main Author: Chen, YJ
• Other Authors: Chen, YJ (reprint author), Peking Univ, Dept Geophys, Computat Geodynam Lab, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China., Peking Univ, Dept Geophys, Computat Geodynam Lab, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China.
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: EAST PACIFIC RISE; MID-ATLANTIC-RIDGE; GALAPAGOS-SPREADING-CENTER; SOUTHEAST INDIAN RIDGE; ACCRETING PLATE BOUNDARIES; MIGRATING MIDOCEAN RIDGES; ICELAND MANTLE PLUME; JUAN-DE-FUCA; GRAVITY-ANOMALIES; OMAN OPHIOLITE; Galapagos; Pacific; Indian; Mid-Atlantic Ridge; Southeast Indian Ridge; Iceland
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11897/312161; https://doi.org/10.1048/148GM04

New ocean crust is created every year along the mid-ocean ridge system, which is one of the most active plate boundaries on the Earth's surface. Studying the magmatic and tectonic processes of the construction of new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges is important for understanding the structure of oceanic crust and the evolution of the oceanic lithosphere. This review focuses on modeling the thermal state of the oceanic crust and its links to various seafloor observations such as ridge axis topography, gravity, and seismic crustal structure. Thermal modeling is important because the crustal thermal structure of a spreading ridge not only controls the rheology of the oceanic lithosphere and the ridge topography but also determines the style of oceanic crustal genesis, by a long-lived magma lens or by episodic magma intrusions. Geochemistry & Geophysics Oceanography CPCI-S(ISTP) 1