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1.
The northern Norwegian-Greenland Sea opened up as the Knipovich Ridge propagated from the south into the ancient continental Spitsbergen Shear Zone. Heat flow data suggest that magma was first intruded at a latitude of 75° N around 60 m.y.b.p. By 40–50 m.y.b.p. oceanic crust was forming at a latitude of 78° N. At 12 m.y.b.p. the Hovgård Transform Fault was deactivated during a northwards propagation of the Knipovich Ridge. Spreading is now in its nascent stages along the Molloy Ridge within the trough of the Spitsbergen Fracture Zone. Spreading rates are slower in the north than the south. For the Knipovich Ridge at 78° N they range from 1.5–2.3 mm yr-1 on the eastern flank to 1.9–3.1 mm yr-1 on the western flank. At a latitude of 75° N spreading rates increase to 4.3–4.9 mm yr-1.Thermal profiles reveal regions of off-axial high heat flow. They are located at ages of 14 m.y. west and 13 m.y. east of the northern Knipovich Ridge, and at 36 m.y. on the eastern flank of the southern Knipovich Ridge. These may correspond to episodes of increased magmatic activity; which may be related to times of rapid north-wards rise axis propagation.The fact that the Norwegian-Greenland Sea is almost void of magnetic anomalies may be caused by the chaotic extrusion of basalts from a spreading center trapped within the confines of an ancient continental shear zone. The oblique impact of the propagating rift with the ancient shear zone may have created an unstable state of stress in the region. If so, extension took place preferentially to the northwest, while compression occurred to the southeast between the opening, leaking shear zone and the Svalbard margin. This caused faster spreading rates to the northwest than to the southeast.  相似文献   

2.
It is suggested that Bouvet Island is the surface manifestation of a mantle plume which has resulted in the creation of a chain of seamounts in the South Atlantic and a general shoaling of the region.The strike of two newly defined large fracture zones borth and south of the Bouvet Island pedestal have been utilized to determine a pole of rotation at 12.5°S, 12.5°W for the Africa-Antarctica motion. A pole at 75°S, 13°E has been calculated for the South America-Antarctica motion. At the triple junction the South America-Africa relative motion is 3.3 cm yr-1 (whole rate) at 075°. The Africa-Antarctica motion is 1.7 cm yr-1 at 065° and the South America-Antarctica motion is 1.6 cm yr-1 at 085.  相似文献   

3.
The axis of the East Pacific Rise is defined by a topographic block about 15 km wide and 300 to 350 m high which is flanked by abyssal hills 100 to 200 m high and 3 to 5 km wide. These hills often are tilted such that their steep slopes face the axis. An empirical model explaining these features combines axial extrusion to form the central block and rotational faulting to lower the shoulders of the axial block to the regional depth and tilt them outward.The axial block is offset about 10 km left-laterally at 10.0°S and a similar amount right-laterally at 11.5°S. Offsets (or lack of offsets) of young magnetic anomalies indicate that these axial displacements occurred between 1.7 and 0.9 m.y. ago and 0.7 m.y. ago and the present in the north and south. respectively. These small axial offsets are interpreted to be the result of either brief episodes of asymmetric see-floor spreading or discrete jumps in the site of spreading activity. Both axial shifts were to the west; a unidirectional sequence of such shifts occurring at the above rate of one per million years would be difficult to differentiate from true regional asymmetric spreading and might explain that phenomenon on other medium-to fast-spreading rises.Reconnaissance data from the east flank of the East Pacific Rise indicate that spreading activity began on that part of the rise between the 9°S and 13.5°S fracture zones approximately 8.2 m.y. ago when the site of crustal accretion jumped westward from the now dormant Galapagos Rise. Slope change in crust approximately 2 and 6 m.y. old imply faster spreading rates between about 6 and 2 m.y. ago than either before or after that time. Identification and correlation of anomaly 3 allows an estimate of about 90 mm/y for this higher east flank spreading rate. Since 1.7 m.y. ago spreading rates have averaged about 80 mm/y to the west and 77 mm/y to the east.  相似文献   

4.
The geography of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) between 10°N and 6°S, redetermined by new surface ship surveys, is characterized by long spreading axes orthogonal to infrequent transform faults. Near 2°10N the EPR is intersected by the Cocos-Nazca spreading center at the Galapagos triple junction. The present pattern was established 27-5.5 m.y.b.p. by a complex sequence of rise-crest jumps and reorientations from a section of the Pacific-Farallon plate boundary. Transverse profiles of the rise flanks can be matched by thermal contraction curves for aging lithosphere, except between the triple junction and 4°S, where the east flank is anomalously shallow and almost horizontal. Most sections of spreading axis have the 10–30 km wide, 100–400 m high, axial ridge that is characteristic of fast spreading centers. However, within 60 km of the triple junction the rise crest structure is atypical, with an axial rift valley and elevated rift mountains, despite a spreading rate of 140 mm/yr. With the exception of this atypical section, the bathymetric profile along the spreading axis is remarkably even, with continuous, gentle slopes for hundreds of kilometers between major transform faults, where step-like offsets in axial depths occur. Most of the observations can be accommodated by a model in which the long spreading axes are underlain by continuous crustal magma chambers that allow easy longitudinal flow of magma, and whose size controls the style and dimensions of EPR crestal topography.Contribution of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, new series.  相似文献   

5.
Sea Beam and Deep-Tow were used in a tectonic investigation of the fast-spreading (151 mm yr-1) East Pacific Rise (EPR) at 19°30 S. Detailed surveys were conducted at the EPR axis and at the Brunhes/Matuyama magnetic reversal boundary, while four long traverses (the longest 96 km) surveyed the rise flanks. Faulting accounts for the vast majority of the relief. Both inward and outward facing fault scarps appear in almost equal numbers, and they form the horsts and grabens which compose the abyssal hills. This mechanism for abyssal hill formation differs from that observed at slow and intermediate spreading rates where abyssal hills are formed by back-tilted inward facing normal faults or by volcanic bow-forms. At 19°30 S, systematic back tilting of fault blocks is not observed, and volcanic constructional relief is a short wavelength signal (less than a few hundred meters) superimposed upon the dominant faulted structure (wavelength 2–8 km). Active faulting is confined to within approximately 5–8 km of the rise axis. In terms of frequency, more faulting occurs at fast spreading rates than at slow. The half extension rate due to faulting is 4.1 mm yr-1 at 19°30 S versus 1.6 mm yr-1 in the FAMOUS area on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). Both spreading and horizontal extension are asymmetric at 19°30 S, and both are greater on the east flank of the rise axis. The fault density observed at 19°30 S is not constant, and zones with very high fault density follow zones with very little faulting. Three mechanisms are proposed which might account for these observations. In the first, faults are buried episodically by massive eruptions which flow more than 5–8 km from the spreading axis, beyond the outer boundary of the active fault zone. This is the least favored mechanism as there is no evidence that lavas which flow that far off axis are sufficiently thick to bury 50–150 m high fault scarps. In the second mechanism, the rate of faulting is reduced during major episodes of volcanism due to changes in the near axis thermal structure associated with swelling of the axial magma chamber. Thus the variation in fault spacing is caused by alternate episodes of faulting and volcanism. In the third mechanism, the rate of faulting may be constant (down to a time scale of decades), but the locus of faulting shifts relative to the axis. A master fault forms near the axis and takes up most of the strain release until the fault or fault set is transported into lithosphere which is sufficiently thick so that the faults become locked. At this point, the locus of faulting shifts to the thinnest, weakest lithosphere near the axis, and the cycle repeats.  相似文献   

6.
The junction between oceanic crust generated, within the Antarctic plate, at the Southeast Indian Ridge and the Southwest Indian Ridge has been studied using a SEABEAM swathe bathymetry mapping system and other geophysical techniques between the Indian Ocean Triple Junction (approximately 25°S, 70° E), and a point some 500 km to the southwest (at 28°25 S, 66°35 E). The morphotectonic boundary which marks this trace of the ridge-ridge-ridge triple junction is complex and varies with age. Recent theories proposing a cyclicity of volcanic and tectonic processes at this mode of triple junctions appear to be supported by a series of regularly spaced, en echelon escarpments facing the slowly spreading (0.6 to 0.8 cm a-1, half rate) Southwest Indian Ridge axis. The en echelon escarpments intersect at approximately right angles with the regularly spaced oceanic spreading fabric formed on the Antarctic plate at the Southeast Indian Ridge and together locally flank uplifted northward-pointing corner sections of ocean floor. The origins for the localised elevations are unclear, but may relate to intermittent and/or alternating rifting and volcanic episodes. Variations of degree of asymmetry and/or obliquity in spreading on the Central Indian Ridge and the Southwest Indian Ridge are suggested to explain detailed structural changes along the triple junction trace. It is suggested that discontinuities of the trace may be related to an intermittent development of new spreading centres beneath the most easterly part of the Southwest Indian Ridge, coupled with a more continuous process beneath the faster spreading Central Indian Ridge (2 to 2.5 cm a-1) and the Southeast Indian Ridge (2.5 to 3 cm a-1). A detailed history of triple junction evolution may be thus inferred from basic morphological and structural mapping along the three triple junction traces.  相似文献   

7.
The Rodriguez Triple Junction (RTJ) corresponds to the junction of the three Indian Ocean spreading ridges. A detailed survey of an area of 90 km by 85 km, centered at 25°30 S and 70° E, allows detailed mapping (at a scale of 1/100 000) of the bathymetry (Seabeam) and the magnetic anomalies. The Southeast Indian Ridge, close to the triple junction, is a typical intermediate spreading rate ridge (2.99 cm a-1 half rate), trending N140°. The Central Indian Ridge rift valley prolongs the Southeast Indian Ridge rift valley with a slight change of orientation (12°). The half spreading rate and trend of this ridge are 2.73 cm a-1 and N152° respectively. In contrast, the Southwest Indian Ridge close to the triple junction is expressed by two deep-valleys (4300 and 5000 m deep) which abut the southwestcrn flanks of the two other ridges, and appears to be a stretched area without axial neovolcanic zone. The evolution of the RTJ is analysed for the past one million years. The instantaneous velocity triangle formed by the three ridges cannot be closed indicating that the RTJ is unstable. A model is proposed to explain the evolution of the unstable RRF Rodriguez Triple Junction. The model shows that the axis of the Central Indian Ridge is propressively offset from the axis of the Southeast Indian Ridge at a velocity of 0.14 cm a-1, the RTJ being restored by small jumps. This unstable RRF model explains the directions and offsets which are observed in the vicinity of the triple junction. The structure and evolution of the RTJ is similar to that of the Galapagos Triple Junction located in the East Pacific Ocean and the Azores Triple Junction located in the Central Atlantic Ocean.  相似文献   

8.
Results are presented from a high precision geophysical profile made at an altitude of about 100 m above the sea floor with the Deep Two instrument package, crossing the Red Sea at 17°30N. The emphasis is on the analysis and interpretation of the magnetic field, including an inversion which removes the distortions due to bathymetry and the orientation with respect to the earth's main field vector. The spreading rates are determined precisely and found to be highly asymmetric: only 5 mm yr-1 to the east and up to 10 mm yr-1 to the west. We conclude that the axis of spreading is located on a volcanic ridge, rather than on the axial graben, based on the presence of a zone of high magnetization. The magnetization high (40 Am-1) is about twice as great as found on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with the same instrument and analysis. The quality of the recording of the magnetic anomalies in the oceanic crust is much greater than expected for such a low spreading rate.  相似文献   

9.
SeaMARC II and Sea Beam bathymetric data are combined to create a chart of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) from 8°N to 18°N reaching at least 1 Ma onto the rise flanks in most places. Based on these data as well as SeaMARC II side scan sonar mosaics we offer the following observations and conclusions. The EPR is segmented by ridge axis discontinuities such that the average segment lengths in the area are 360 km for first-order segments, 140 km for second-order segments, 52 km for third-order segments, and 13 km for fourth-order segments. All three first-order discontinuities are transform faults. Where the rise axis is a bathymetric high, second-order discontinuities are overlapping spreading centers (OSCs), usually with a distinctive 3:1 overlap to offset ratio. The off-axis discordant zones created by the OSCs are V-shaped in plan view indicating along axis migration at rates of 40–100 mm yr–1. The discordant zones consist of discrete abandoned ridge tips and overlap basins within a broad wake of anomalously deep bathymetry and high crustal magnetization. The discordant zones indicate that OSCs have commenced at different times and have migrated in different directions. This rules out any linkage between OSCs and a hot spot reference frame. The spacing of abandoned ridges indicates a recurrence interval for ridge abandonment of 20,000–200,000 yrs for OSCs with an average interval of approximately 100,000 yrs. Where the rise axis is a bathymetric low, the only second-order discontinuity mapped is a right-stepping jog in the axial rift valley. The discordant zone consists of a V-shaped wake of elongated deeps and interlocking ridges, similar to the wakes of second-order discontinuities on slow-spreading ridges. At the second-order segment level, long segments tend to lengthen at the expense of neighboring shorter segments. This can be understood if segments can be approximated by cracks, because the propagation force at a crack tip is directly proportional to crack length.There has been a counter-clockwise change in the direction of spreading on the EPR between 8 and 18° N during the last 1 Ma. The cumulative change has been 3°–6°, producing opening across the Orozco and Siqueiros transform faults and closing across the Clipperton transform. The instantaneous present-day Cocos-Pacific pole is located at approximately 38.4° N, 109.5° W with an angular rotation rate of 2.10° m.y.–1 This change in spreading direction explains the predominance of right-stepping discontinuities of orders 2–4 along the Siqueiros-Clipperton and Orozco-Rivera segments, but does not explain other aspects of segmentation which are thought to be linked to patterns of melt supply to the ridge axis.There are 23 significant seamount chains in the mapped area and most are created very near the spreading axis. Nearly all of the seamount chains have trends which fall between the absolute and relative plate motion vectors.  相似文献   

10.
We use recently acquired magnetic and SeaBeam bathymetric data to examine the spreading rates and plate boundary geometry of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge 30°–36° S. Using a statistically rigorous estimation of rotation poles we develop a precise spreading history of the African—South American plate boundary. The total opening rate for 1–4.23 Myr (Plio-Pleistocene) is nearly constant at 32.3 ± 1 km Myr–1. The spreading rate apparently is faster in the Late Miocene (7.3-5.3 Myr), though this may reflect inaccuracies in the geomagnetic time scale. The rotation poles enable a plate boundary reconstruction with an accuracy of 2–3 km. The reconstructions also show that the plate boundary geometry underwent several changes since the late Miocene including the growth of one ridge segment from 40 to 105 km in length, and the reorientation of another ridge segment which has spread obliquely from 7 to 1 Myr. Pole calculations using both right- and left-stepping fracture zones show an offset of 1–2 km between the deepest, most linear part of a fracture zone trough and the former plate boundary location. The high-resolution plate kinematics suggests that the plate boundary, as a whole, evolves 2-dimensionally as prescribed by rigid plates. On a local scale, asymmetric accretion, asymmetric extension, small lateral ridge jumps (< 3 km), and intra-segment propagation result in minor plate boundary adjustments and deformation to the rigid plates.  相似文献   

11.
The ridge located between 31° S and 34°30′S is spreading at a rate of 35 mm yr−1, a transitional velocity between the very slow (≤20 mm yr−1) opening rates of the North Atlantic and Southwest Indian Oceans, and the intermediate rates (60 mm yr−1) of the northern limb of the East Pacific Rise, and the Galapagos and Juan de Fuca Ridges. A synthesis of multi-narrow beam, magnetics and gravity data document that in this area the ridge represents a dynamically evolving system. Here the ridge is partitioned into an ensemble of six distinct segments of variable lengths (12 to 100 km) by two transform faults (first-order discontinuities) and three small offset (< 30 km) discontinuities (second-order discontinuities) that behave non-rigidly creating complex and heterogeneous morphotectonic patterns that are not parallel to flow lines. The offset magnitudes of both the first and second-order discontinuities change in response to differential asymmetric spreading. In addition, along the fossil trace of second-order discontinuities, the lengths of abyssal hills located to either side of a discordant zone are observed to lengthen and shorten creating a saw-toothed pattern. Although the spreading rate remains the same along the length of the ridge studied, the morphology of the spreading segments varies from a deep median valley with characteristics analogous to the rift segments of the North Atlantic to a gently rifted axial bulge that is indistinguishable from the shape and relief of the intermediate rate spreading centers of the East Pacific Rise (i.e., 21°N). Like other carefully surveyed ridge segments at slow and fast rates of accretion, the along-axis profiles of each ridge segment are distinctly convex upwards, and exhibit along-strike changes in relief of 500m to 1500 between the shallowest portion of the segment (approximate center) and the segment ends. Such spatial variations create marked along-axis changes in the morphology and relief of each segment. A relatively low mantle Bouguer anomaly is known to be associated with the ridge segment characterized by a gently rifted axial bulge and is interpreted to indicate the presence of focused mantle upwelling (Kuo and Forsyth, 1988). Moreover, the terrain at the ends of each segment are known to be highly magnetized compared to the centers of each segment (Carbotte et al, 1990). Taken together, these data clearly establish that these profound spatial variations in ridge segment properties between adjoining segments, and along and across each segment, indicate that the upper mantle processes responsible for the formation of this contrasting architecture are not solely related to passive upwelling of the asthenosphere beneath the ridge axis. Rather, there must be differences in the thermal and mechanical structure of the crust and upper mantle between and along the ridge segments to explain these spatial variations in axial topography, crustal structure and magnetization. These results are consistent with the results of investigations from other parts of the ridge and suggest that the emplacement of magma is highly focused along segments and positioned beneath the depth minimum of a given segment. The profound differences between segments indicate that the processes governing the behavior of upwelling mantle are decoupled and the variations in the patterns of axis flanking morphology and rate of accretion indicate that processes controlling upwelling and melt production vary markedly in time as well. At this spreading rate and in this area, the accretionary processes are clearly three-dimensional. In addition, the morphology of a ridge segment is not governed so much by opening rate as by the thermal structure of the mantle which underlies the segment.  相似文献   

12.
The geologic history of the eastern Indian Ocean between northwest Australia and the Java Trench is known to involve two separate events of rifting and sea-floor spreading. Late Jurassic spreading in the Argo Abyssal Plain off northwest Australia was followed by Early Cretaceous spreading in the Cuvier and Perth Abyssal Plains off west Australia. However, the evolution and interaction of these events has not been clear. Mesozoic sea-floor spreading anomalies have been identified throughout the Argo Abyssal Plain that define a rifting event and subsequent northward spreading on the northwestern Australian margin at 155 m.y.b.p. Magnetic anomalies northwest of the Argo Abyssal Plain indicate a ridge jump to the south at about 130 m.y.b.p. that is approximately synchronous with east-west rifting along the southwestern Australian margin. The Joey Rise in the Argo Plain was probably formed by volcanism at the intersection of this new rift and the spreading ridge to the north. The southern and northern spreading systems were connected through the Exmouth Plateau which was stretched and faulted as spreading progressed. The RRR triple junction was formed at the intersection of the two spreading systems and appears to have migrated west along the northern edge of the Gascoyne Abyssal Plain. Spreading off northwest Australia cannot be easily related to simultaneous spreading in the west central Pacific via any simple tectonic scheme.  相似文献   

13.
The South Pandora and the Tripartite Ridges are active spreading centers located in the northern part of the North Fiji Basin. These spreading centers were surveyed over a distance of 750 km during the NOFI cruise of R/V L'Atalante (August–September 1994) which was conducted in the frame of the french-japanese Newstarmer cooperation project. SIMRAD EM12-dual full coverage swath bathymetric and imagery data as well as airgun 6-channel seismic, magnetics and gravity profiles were recorded along and offaxis from 170°40 E to 178° E. Dredging and piston coring were also performed along and off-axis. The axial domain of the South Pandora Ridge is divided into 5 first-order segments characterized by contrasted morphologies. The average width of the active domain is 20 km and corresponds either to bathymetric highs or to deep elongated grabens. The bathymetric highs are volcanic constructions, locally faulted and rifted, which can obstruct totally the axial valley. The grabens show the typical morphology of slow spreading axes, with two steep walls flanking a deep axial valley. Elongated lateral ridges may be present on both sides of the grabens. Numerous volcanoes, up to several kilometers in diameter, occur on both flanks of the South Pandora Ridge. The Tripartite Ridge consists of three main segments showing a sigmoid shape. Major changes in the direction of the active zones are observed at the segment discontinuities. These discontinuities show various geometrical patterns which suggest complex transform relay zones. Preliminary analysis of seismic reflection profiles suggest that the Tripartite Ridge is a very young feature which propagates into an older oceanic domain characterized by a significant sedimentary cover. By contrast, a very thin to absent sedimentary cover is observed about 100 km on both flanks of the South Pandora Ridge active axis. The magnetic anomaly profiles give evidence of long and continuous lineations, parallel to the South Pandora Ridge spreading axis. According to our preliminary interpretation, the spreading rate would have been very low (8 km/m.y. half rate) during the last 7 Ma. The South Pandora and Tripartite Ridges exhibit characteristics typical of active oceanic ridges: (1) a segmented pattern, with segments ranging from 80 to 100 km in length; (2) an axial tectonic and volcanic zone, 10 to 20 km wide; (3) well-organized magnetic lineations, parallel to the active axis; (4) clear signature on the free-air gravity anomaly map. However, no typical transform fault is observed; instead, complex relay zones are separating first-order segments.  相似文献   

14.
We have conducted the first detailed survey of the recording of a geomagnetic reversal at an ultra-fast spreading center. The survey straddles the Brunhes/Matuyama reversal boundary at 19°30 S on the east flank of the East Pacific Rise (EPR), which spreads at the half rate of 82 mm yr-1. In the vicinity of the reversal boundary, we performed a three-dimensional inversion of the surface magnetic field and two-dimensional inversions of several near-bottom profiles including the effects of bathymetry. The surface inversion solution shows that the polarity transition is sharp and linear, and less than 3–4 km wide. These values constitute an upper bound because the interpretation of marine magnetic anomalies observed at the sea surface is limited to wavelengths greater than 3–4 km. The polarity transition width, which represents the distance over which 90% of the change in polarity occurs, is narrow (1.5–2.1 km) as measured on individual 2-D inversion profiles of near-bottom data. This suggests a crustal zone of accretion only 3.0–4.2 km wide. Our method offers little control on accretionary processes below layer 2B because the pillow and the dike layers in young oceanic crust are by far the most significant contributors to the generation of marine magnetic anomalies. The Deep-Tow instrument package was used to determine in situ the polarity of individual volcanoes and fault scarps in the same area. We were able to make 96 in situ polarity determinations which allowed us to locate the scafloor transition boundary which separates positively and negatively magnetized lava flows. The shift between the inversion transition boundary and the seafloor transition boundary can be used to obtain an estimate of the width of the neovolcanic zone of 4–10 km. This width is significantly larger than the present width of the neovolcanic zone at 19°30 S as documented from near-bottom bathymetric and photographic data (Bicknell et al., 1987), and also larger than the width of the neovolcanic zone at 21° N on the EPR as inferred by the three-dimensional inversion of near-bottom magnetic data (Macdonald et al., 1983). The eruption of positively magnetized lava flows over negatively magnetized crust from the numerous volcanoes present in the survey area and episodic flooding of the flanks of the ridge axis by extensive outpourings of lava erupting from a particularly robust magma chamber may result in a widened neovolcanic zone. We studied the relationship between spreading rate and polarity transition widths obtained from 2-D inversions of the near-bottom magnetic field over various spreading centers. The mean transition width corrected for the time necessary for the reversal to occur decreases with increasing spreading rate but our data set is still too sparse to draw firm conclusions from these observations. Perhaps more interesting is the fact that the range of the measured transition widths also decreases with spreading rate. In the light of these results, we propose a new model for the spreading rate dependency of polarity transition widths. At slow spreading centers, the zone of dike injection is narrow but the locus of crustal accretion is prone to small lateral shifts depending on the availability of magmatic sources, and the resulting polarity transition widths can be narrow or wide. At intermediate spreading centers, the zone of crustal accretion is narrow and does not shift laterally, which leads to narrower transition widths on the average than at slow spreading centers. An intermediate, or even a slow spreading center, may behave like a fast or hot-spot dominated ridge for short periods of time when its magmatic budget is increased due to melting events in the upper mantle. At fast spreading centers, the zone of dike injection is narrow, but the large magmatic budget of fast spreading centers may result in occasional extensive flows less than a few tens of meters thick from the axis and off-axis volcanic cones. These thin flows will not significantly contribute to the polarity transition widths, which remain narrow, but they may greatly increase the width of the neovolcanic zone. Finally the gabbro layer in the lower section of oceanic crust may also contribute to the observed polarity transition widths but this contribution will only become significant in older oceanic crust (50–100 m.y.).  相似文献   

15.
The isotopic composition (δ15N) of dissolved nitrate was measured at five stations within the oxygen-deficient region of the eastern tropical North Pacific Ocean (ETNP) and at one station 900 km northeast of Hawaii, which was considered to be representative of all major water masses of the Pacific. At this last station, the δ15N composition of dissolved nitrate decreased systematically from about +6‰ at 400 m to approximately +5‰ at 5,000 m; these results are consistent with other estimates from the western Pacific.In contrast, vertical profiles of δ15N of dissolved nitrate from the ETNP showed marked departure from the above observed trend and correlated with losses of nitrate arising from denitrification. Instantaneous fractionation factors (α) were estimated, using the one dimensional vertical diffusion-advection model. These results suggest that 14NO3− is consumed 3–4% faster than 15NO3−, significantly larger than fractionations (2%) observed under laboratory conditions.Maximum rates of denitrification at 100 m were also evaluated and ranged from 0.6 to 8 μg-at 1−1 yr−1 for the stations investigated. The above upper limit is probably excessive, but the average maximum for the four stations analyzed is estimated to be 3.5 μg-at NO3− 1−1 yr−1. These results compare favorably with suitably corrected oxygen utilization rates derived from electron transport activity measurements.  相似文献   

16.
Continuous along-axis Sea Beam coverage of the slow-intermediate spreading (34–38 mm yr−1 full rate) southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (25°–27°30′S and 31°–38° S) shows that the ridge axis is segmented by both rigid and non-rigid discontinuities. Following the model of Macdonald et al. (1988b), a hierarchy of four orders is proposed for ridge axis discontinuities based on a continuum of relative age and distance offset across the discontinuites. This paper discusses the characteristics associated with five second-order discontinuities found in the areas surveyed. First-order discontinuities represent rigid offsets, transform faults, whereas non-rigid discontinuities fall into the second, third and fourth orders. Like transform fault boundaries, second-order discontinuities have distinctive morphologic signatures both on and off-axis-discordant zones — and therefore are better defined than third- or fourth-order discontinuities. Second-order discontinuities are offsets that range in distance from less than 10 km to approximately 30 km and vary in age offset from 0.5 to approximately 2.0 m.y. The variable morphotectonic geometries associated with these discontinuities indicate that horizontal shear strains are accommodated by both extensional and strike-slip tectonism and that the geometries are unstable in time. Three characteristic geometries are recognized: (1)en echelon jog in the plate boundary where ridge axis tips overlap slightly, (2)en echelon jog in the plate boundary where ridge axes are separated by an extensional basin whose long axis is oriented parallel to the strike of the adjoining ridge axes, and (3) oblique offset characterized by a large extensional basin that is oriented approximately 45° to the strike of the ridge axes. In the case of the third type, evidence for short strands of strike-slip tectonism that link an obliquely oriented extensional basin flanking ridge tips is often apparent. Analysis of the detailed bathymetric and magnetic data collected over the second-order discontinuities and their off axis terrain out to 5–7 m.y. documents that second-order discontinuities can follow several evolutionary paths: they can evolve from transform fault boundaries through prolonged asymmetric spreading, they may migrate along strike leaving a V-shaped wake, and they may remain in approximately the same position but oscillate slightly back and forth. In addition, a small change in the pole of relative motion occurring 4–5 Ma is thought to have resulted in the initiation of at least one second-order discontinuity in the survey area. A geologic model is proposed which involves the interplay of lithospheric thickness, asymmetric spreading, temporal and spatial variability of along-axis magmatic input and changes in the poles of relative motion to explain the origin, morphology and evolution of second-order ridge axis discontinuities.  相似文献   

17.
We report the results of a study of the magnetic properties of basalts recovered from the axis and from 0.7 m.y. old crust at 21° N and 19°30 S on the East Pacific Rise as well as from the 9°03 N overlapping spreading centers. The natural remanent magnetization of the samples from 21° N and 19°30 S decreases from the axis to 0.7 m.y. old crust as a result of low-temperature oxidation. In addition, the magnetic properties of the samples from the 21° N sites indicate that: (1) the magnetic susceptibility and the Koenigsberger ratio decrease with low-temperature alteration, (2) the Curie temperature, the median demagnetizing field and the remanent coercivity increase with maghemitization, (3) the saturation magnetization measured at room temperature does not change significantly with age. The magnetic properties of the basalt samples from the 9°03 N overlapping spreading centers indicate the presence of a high magnetization zone at the tip of the eastern spreading center. This high magnetization zone is the result of the high percentage of unaltered, fine-grained titanomagnetites present in the samples. These measurements are consistent with the results of the three-dimensional inversion of the magnetic field over the 9°03 N overlapping system [Sempere et al., 1984] as well as with detailed tectonic and geochemical investigations of overlapping spreading centers (Sempere and Macdonald, 1986a; Langmuir et al., 1986; Natland et al., 1986). The high magnetization zone appears to be the result of the eruption of highly fractionated basalts enriched in iron associated with the propagation of one of the limbs of the overlapping system into older lithosphere and not just to rapid decay, due to low-temperature oxidation, of the initially high magnetization of pillows extruded in the neovolcanic zone.  相似文献   

18.
Recent carbonate data collected in the North Pacific were combined with the data in the literature in order to understand more clearly the carbonate chemistry in the North Pacific. Our analyses show that inorganic CaCO3 dissolution contributes about 26% of the total inorganic CO2 increase of deep water, after leaving the Southern Ocean. The calcium and alkalinity data indicate a CaCO3 dissolution rate of 0.060±0.010 and 0.053±0.005 µ mol kg–1 yr–1 respectively, for waters deeper than 2,000 m in reference to the Weddell Sea Deep Water. The organic carbon decomposition rate is 0.107±0.012 µ mol kg–1 yr–1 while the oxygen consumption rate is 0.13±0.002 µ mol kg–1 yr–1. These results which are based on the direct comparison of two water masses agree well with other estimates which are based on methods such as the one-dimensional-diffusion-advection model. Comparison of data along the two sections at 165°E and 150°W shows no significant difference in the ratio of the CaCO3 dissolution rate and the organic carbon decomposition rate. The eastern section, however, has a higher TCO2 input than the western section because of the older age of the deep water along the eastern section.  相似文献   

19.
The southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) is spreading at rates (34–38 mm yr−1) that fall within a transitional range between those which characterize slow and intermediate spreading center morphology. To further our understanding of crustal accretion at these transitional spreading rates, we have carried out analysis of magnetic anomaly data from two detailed SeaBeam surveys of the MAR between 25°–27°30′S and 31°–34°30′S. Within these areas, the MAR is subdivided into 9 ridge segments bounded by large- and short-offset discontinuities of the ridge axis. From two-dimensional Fourier inversions of the magnetic anomaly data we establish the history of spreading within each ridge segment for the past 5 my and the evolution of the bounding ridge-axis discontinuities. We see evidence for the initiation and diminishment of small-offset discontinuities, and for the transition of rigid large-offset transform faults to less stable short-offset features. Individual ridge segments display independent spreading histories in terms of both the sense and amount of asymmetric spreading within each which have given rise to changes through time in the lengths of bounding ridge-axis discontinuities. Over the past 3–5 my, the short-offset discontinuities within the area have lengthened/shortened by approximately the same amount (∼ 10 km). During this same time period, larger-offset transform faults have remained comparatively constant in length. A shift in plate motion at anomaly 3 time may have given rise to change in the length of short-offset second-order discontinuities. However, the pattern of lengthening/shortening short-offset discontinuities we see is not simply related to the geometry of the plate boundary in these regions which precludes a simply relationship between plate motion changes and response at the plate boundary. We document a case of rapid (minimum 60 mm yr−1) small-scale rift propagation, occurring between 2.5 and 1.8 my, associated with transition of the Moore transform fault to an oblique-trending ridge-axis discontinuity. Propagation across the Moore discontinuity and similar propagation within the 31°–34°30’S area may be associated with the reduced age contrast in lithosphere across second-order discontinuities. Total opening rates within our northern survey area decreased from anomaly 4′ to 2 time and rates within both areas have increased since the Jaramillo. Total opening rates measured for anomaly intervals differ along the plate boundary significantly, more than expected with changing distance to the pole of rotation. These differences imply a degree of short-term non-rigid plate behaviour which may be associated with ridge segments acting as independent spreading cells. Magnetic polarity transition widths from our inversion studies may be used to infer a zone of crustal accretion which is 3–6 km wide, within the inner floor of the rift valley. A systematic increase of transition width with age would be expected if deeper crustal sources dominate the magnetic signal in older crust but this is not observed. We present results from three-dimensional analysis of magnetic anomaly data which show magnetization highs located at the intersection of the MAR with both large- and short-offset discontinuities. Within the central anomaly the highs exceed 15 A m−1 compared with a background of approximately 8–10 A m−1 and they persist for at least 2.5 my. The highs may be caused by eruption of fractionated strongly magnetized basalts at ridge-axis discontinuities with both large and small offsets.  相似文献   

20.
《Oceanologica Acta》1999,22(3):249-263
Mean conditions, seasonal, and ENSO-related (El Niño Southern Oscillation) variability in the vicinity of Wallis, Futuna, and Samoa islands (13°–15° S, 180°–170° W) over the 1973–1995 period are analysed for wind pseudo-stress, satellite-derived and in situ precipitation, sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity (SSS), sea level, and 0–450 m temperature and geostrophic current. The mean local conditions reflect the presence of the large scale features such as the western Pacific warm pool, the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ), and the South Pacific anticyclonic gyre. The seasonal changes are closely related to the meridional migrations of the SPCZ, which passes twice a year over the region of study. During the warm phase of ENSO (El Niño), we generally observe saltier-than-average SSS (of the order of 0.4), consistent with a rainfall deficit (0.4 m yr−1), a hint of colder-than-average surface temperature is also identified in subsurface (0.3°C), a weak tendency for westward geostrophic current anomalies (2 cm s−1 at the surface), a sea level decrease (5–10 cm), together with easterly (5 m2s−2) and well marked southerly (10 m2s−2) wind pseudo-stress anomalies. Anomalies of similar magnitude, but of opposite sign, are detected during the cold phase of ENSO (La Niña). While these ENSO-related changes apply prior to the 1990s, they were not observed during the 1991–1994 period, which appears atypical.  相似文献   

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