Contribution of volcanism and tectonism to axial and flank morphology of the southern East Pacific Rise, 17°10′–17°40′S, from a study of layer 2A geometry

Abstract

Multichannel seismic images from the East Pacific Rise 17°10′–17°40′S are used to study the geometry of seismic layer 2A in the near‐axis region. Wave‐equation datuming is applied to stacked common midpoint data to remove the distorting effects of seafloor topography on the layer 2A event. Processed stacks are compared with seafloor morphology and tectonic fabric imaged in side‐scan sonar data. Assuming layer 2A corresponds with the extrusive crust, these data are used to study the relationship between volcanism and tectonism in the accumulation of the extrusive layer and to assess the contribution of extrusives to ridge‐crest and ridge‐flank morphology. We find variations in axial thickening of layer 2A which imply twofold variation in the width of the extrusive layer accumulation zone, as well as systematic changes in the pattern of accumulation of this layer. On the ridge flanks the layer 2A horizon mimics abyssal hill relief, consistent with a horst and graben origin for this topography. Short‐wavelength variations in the thickness of layer 2A are superimposed on this relief, which we attribute to volcanic modification of tectonic topography at the edge of the neovolcanic zone. The integrated off‐axis thickness of layer 2A is correlated with ridge cross‐sectional area and indicates persistent (100,000 years) spatial gradients in extrusive layer thickness. Systematic changes in the cross‐axis shape of the ridge, observed over distances of 5–10 km, cannot be attributed to the extrusive layer, and it appears that axial structure beneath the volcanics governs the cross‐axis morphology of the ridge.