Geophysical evidence of mud diapirism on the Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex |
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| Authors: | A Camerlenghi M B Cita B Della Vedova N Fusi L Mirabile G Pellis |
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| Institution: | (1) Osservatorio Geofisico Sperimentale, P.O. Box 2011, I-34016 Trieste Opicina, Italy;(2) Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universita' di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 34, I-20133 Milano, Italy;(3) Dipartimento di Ingegneria Navale, del Mare, e per l'Ambiente, Universita' di Trieste, Via Valerio 10, I-34127 Trieste, Italy;(4) Istituto di Oceanologia, Istituto Universitario Navale, Via Acton 38, I-80133 Napoli, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Mud volcanoes, mud cones, and mud ridges have been identified on the inner portion of the crestal area, and possibly on the inner escarpment, of the Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex. Four areas containing one or more mud diapirs have been investigated through bathymetric profiling, single channel seismic reflection profiling, heat flow measurements, and coring. A sequence of events is identified in the evolution of the mud diapirs: initially the expulsion on the seafloor of gasrich mud produces a seafloor depression outlined in the seismic record by downward dip of the host sediment reflectors towards the mud conduit; subsequent eruptions of fluid mud may create a flat topped mud volcano with step-like profile; finally, the intrusion of viscous mud produces a mud cone.The origin of the diapirs is deep within the Mediterranean Ridge. Although a minimum depth of about 400 m below the seafloor has been computed from the hydrostatic balance between the diapiric sediments and the host sediments, a maximum depth, suggested by geometric considerations, ranges between 5.3 and 7 km. The presence of thermogenic gas in the diapiric sediments suggests a better constrained origin depth of at least 2.2 km.The heat flow measured within the Olimpi mud diapir field and along a transect orthogonal to the diapiric field is low, ranging between 16 ± 5 and 41 ± 6 mW m–2. Due to the presence of gas, the thermal conductivity of the diapiric sediments is lower than that of the host hemipelagic oozes (0.6–0.9 and 1.0–1.15 W m–1 K–1 respectively).We consider the distribution of mud diapirs to be controlled by the presence of tectonic features such as reverse faults or thrusts (inner escarpment) that develop where the thickness of the Late Miocene evaporites appears to be minimum. An upward migration through time of the position of the décollement within the stratigraphic column from the Upper Oligocene (diapiric sediments) to the Upper Miocene (present position) is identified. |
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| Keywords: | Mediterranean Ridge mud diapirism mud volcano fluid circulation accretionary prism |
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