Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities
The global mid-ocean-ridge system is characterized by several regional-scale depth and geochemical anomalies. A prominent depth discontinuity between the East Pacific Rise and the Pacific-Antarctic Rise also coincides with a geochemical discontinuity that has been suggested by previous workers to in...
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ftunivtasmania:oai:eprints.utas.edu.au:6886 2023-05-15T13:36:46+02:00 Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities Small, C Danyushevsky, LV 2003-05 application/pdf https://eprints.utas.edu.au/6886/ https://eprints.utas.edu.au/6886/1/Geology2003-MORB.pdf https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0399:PEFMDD>2.0.CO;2 en eng https://eprints.utas.edu.au/6886/1/Geology2003-MORB.pdf Small, C and Danyushevsky, LV 2003 , 'Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities' , Geology, vol. 31, no. 5 , pp. 399-402 , doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0399:PEFMDD>2.0.CO;2 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0399:PEFMDD>2.0.CO;2>. cc_utas 260108 Geotectonics 260201 Gravity 260102 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology mid-oceanic ridge bathymetry asthenosphere hotspot Article PeerReviewed 2003 ftunivtasmania https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0399:PEFMDD>2.0.CO;2 2020-05-30T07:20:43Z The global mid-ocean-ridge system is characterized by several regional-scale depth and geochemical anomalies. A prominent depth discontinuity between the East Pacific Rise and the Pacific-Antarctic Rise also coincides with a geochemical discontinuity that has been suggested by previous workers to indicate a boundary between distinct mantleupwelling domains with separate convective histories. We propose a plate-kinematic origin for this discontinuity in which different rates of asthenospheric sequestration and spreading-center migration result in different equilibrium depths for different spreading centers. Absolute plate motions determine both the rate at which asthenosphere is converted to lithosphere (i.e., the sequestration rate) and the rate at which the spreading center moves relative to hotspots (i.e., the migration rate). If limits on the consumption (i.e., the sequestration/migration ratio) of asthenosphere by spreading centers are determined by the thickness and flux of asthenosphere, then the fast-spreading, slowly migrating East Pacific Rise should have a deeper equilibrium depth than the slower-spreading, rapidly migrating Pacific-Antarctic Rise. Sustained, localized asthenospheric consumption by the East Pacific Rise contrasts with the lower consumption and abundance of asthenospheric flux from hotspots near the Pacific-Antarctic Rise. A similar mechanism could explain the discontinuity between the localized depth anomaly on the Southwest Indian Ridge near the Bouvet hotspot and the much broader, but deeper, anomaly on the adjacent Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where asthenosphere is being transformed to lithosphere at more than three times the rate of the Southwest Indian or American-Antarctic Ridge. Geochemical evidence is consistent with the notion of deeper, more extensive melting under both of the spreading centers with anomalously high sequestration/migration ratios. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic University of Tasmania: UTas ePrints Antarctic Pacific Indian Mid-Atlantic Ridge Bouvet ENVELOPE(3.358,3.358,-54.422,-54.422) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tasmania: UTas ePrints |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtasmania |
language |
English |
topic |
260108 Geotectonics 260201 Gravity 260102 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology mid-oceanic ridge bathymetry asthenosphere hotspot |
spellingShingle |
260108 Geotectonics 260201 Gravity 260102 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology mid-oceanic ridge bathymetry asthenosphere hotspot Small, C Danyushevsky, LV Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities |
topic_facet |
260108 Geotectonics 260201 Gravity 260102 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology mid-oceanic ridge bathymetry asthenosphere hotspot |
description |
The global mid-ocean-ridge system is characterized by several regional-scale depth and geochemical anomalies. A prominent depth discontinuity between the East Pacific Rise and the Pacific-Antarctic Rise also coincides with a geochemical discontinuity that has been suggested by previous workers to indicate a boundary between distinct mantleupwelling domains with separate convective histories. We propose a plate-kinematic origin for this discontinuity in which different rates of asthenospheric sequestration and spreading-center migration result in different equilibrium depths for different spreading centers. Absolute plate motions determine both the rate at which asthenosphere is converted to lithosphere (i.e., the sequestration rate) and the rate at which the spreading center moves relative to hotspots (i.e., the migration rate). If limits on the consumption (i.e., the sequestration/migration ratio) of asthenosphere by spreading centers are determined by the thickness and flux of asthenosphere, then the fast-spreading, slowly migrating East Pacific Rise should have a deeper equilibrium depth than the slower-spreading, rapidly migrating Pacific-Antarctic Rise. Sustained, localized asthenospheric consumption by the East Pacific Rise contrasts with the lower consumption and abundance of asthenospheric flux from hotspots near the Pacific-Antarctic Rise. A similar mechanism could explain the discontinuity between the localized depth anomaly on the Southwest Indian Ridge near the Bouvet hotspot and the much broader, but deeper, anomaly on the adjacent Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where asthenosphere is being transformed to lithosphere at more than three times the rate of the Southwest Indian or American-Antarctic Ridge. Geochemical evidence is consistent with the notion of deeper, more extensive melting under both of the spreading centers with anomalously high sequestration/migration ratios. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Small, C Danyushevsky, LV |
author_facet |
Small, C Danyushevsky, LV |
author_sort |
Small, C |
title |
Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities |
title_short |
Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities |
title_full |
Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities |
title_fullStr |
Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities |
title_full_unstemmed |
Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities |
title_sort |
plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
https://eprints.utas.edu.au/6886/ https://eprints.utas.edu.au/6886/1/Geology2003-MORB.pdf https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0399:PEFMDD>2.0.CO;2 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(3.358,3.358,-54.422,-54.422) |
geographic |
Antarctic Pacific Indian Mid-Atlantic Ridge Bouvet |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Pacific Indian Mid-Atlantic Ridge Bouvet |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic |
op_relation |
https://eprints.utas.edu.au/6886/1/Geology2003-MORB.pdf Small, C and Danyushevsky, LV 2003 , 'Plate-kinematic explanation for mid-oceanic-ridge depth discontinuities' , Geology, vol. 31, no. 5 , pp. 399-402 , doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0399:PEFMDD>2.0.CO;2 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0399:PEFMDD>2.0.CO;2>. |
op_rights |
cc_utas |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0399:PEFMDD>2.0.CO;2 |
_version_ |
1766083824487235584 |