The Mid-atlantic Ridge (31°S–34°30′S): Temporal and spatial variations of accretionary processes |
| |
| Authors: | P J Fox N R Grindlay K C MacDonald |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 02882 Narragansett, RI, USA;(2) Marine Sciences Institute, University of California-Santa Barbara, 93106 Santa Barbara, CA, USA |
| |
| Abstract: | 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. |
| |
| Keywords: | Mid-Atlantic Ridge oceanic rifts transforms and discordant zones |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
