Plate-driven mantle dynamics and global patterns of mid-ocean ridge bathymetry

Global observations of mid-ocean ridge (MOR) bathymetry reveal a correlation between the difference in axial depth across ridge offsets and ridge migration. If upwelling and melt production rates are asymmetric across a ridge axis, three-dimensional (3-D) melt focusing and different crustal thicknes...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Weatherley, S, Katz, R
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2010
_version_ 1797075516686073856
author Weatherley, S
Katz, R
author_facet Weatherley, S
Katz, R
author_sort Weatherley, S
collection OXFORD
description Global observations of mid-ocean ridge (MOR) bathymetry reveal a correlation between the difference in axial depth across ridge offsets and ridge migration. If upwelling and melt production rates are asymmetric across a ridge axis, three-dimensional (3-D) melt focusing and different crustal thickness across offsets may account for the observed differences in axial depth. In this article we use a 3-D numerical model to constrain the flow and thermal structure of a ridge-transform-ridge plate boundary. By coupling a model of melt focusing to our simulations we generate predictions of crustal thickness and axial depth change across offsets of different lengths. These predictions are consistent with the morphological changes observed along the global MOR system. In making these predictions we produce new constraints on the scale of melt focusing at mid-ocean ridges and on the extent of melt redistribution at the ridge axis. Results from our simulations also suggest that plate-induced mantle dynamics and melt focusing beneath a migrating MOR may produce global, systematic variations in the geochemistry of axial lavas. Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T23:51:23Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:72b84795-6ba2-4eac-8e81-bf5998c6ac53
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T23:51:23Z
publishDate 2010
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:72b84795-6ba2-4eac-8e81-bf5998c6ac532022-03-26T19:51:54ZPlate-driven mantle dynamics and global patterns of mid-ocean ridge bathymetryJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:72b84795-6ba2-4eac-8e81-bf5998c6ac53EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2010Weatherley, SKatz, RGlobal observations of mid-ocean ridge (MOR) bathymetry reveal a correlation between the difference in axial depth across ridge offsets and ridge migration. If upwelling and melt production rates are asymmetric across a ridge axis, three-dimensional (3-D) melt focusing and different crustal thickness across offsets may account for the observed differences in axial depth. In this article we use a 3-D numerical model to constrain the flow and thermal structure of a ridge-transform-ridge plate boundary. By coupling a model of melt focusing to our simulations we generate predictions of crustal thickness and axial depth change across offsets of different lengths. These predictions are consistent with the morphological changes observed along the global MOR system. In making these predictions we produce new constraints on the scale of melt focusing at mid-ocean ridges and on the extent of melt redistribution at the ridge axis. Results from our simulations also suggest that plate-induced mantle dynamics and melt focusing beneath a migrating MOR may produce global, systematic variations in the geochemistry of axial lavas. Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.
spellingShingle Weatherley, S
Katz, R
Plate-driven mantle dynamics and global patterns of mid-ocean ridge bathymetry
title Plate-driven mantle dynamics and global patterns of mid-ocean ridge bathymetry
title_full Plate-driven mantle dynamics and global patterns of mid-ocean ridge bathymetry
title_fullStr Plate-driven mantle dynamics and global patterns of mid-ocean ridge bathymetry
title_full_unstemmed Plate-driven mantle dynamics and global patterns of mid-ocean ridge bathymetry
title_short Plate-driven mantle dynamics and global patterns of mid-ocean ridge bathymetry
title_sort plate driven mantle dynamics and global patterns of mid ocean ridge bathymetry
work_keys_str_mv AT weatherleys platedrivenmantledynamicsandglobalpatternsofmidoceanridgebathymetry
AT katzr platedrivenmantledynamicsandglobalpatternsofmidoceanridgebathymetry