Global Mid-Ocean Ridges Mantle Tomography Profiles

Abstract

We have studied mantle tomography profiles of global mid-ocean ridges to investigate their depth of origin and other characteristics. The Mid-Atlantic and the South West Indian Ridges are deep rooted ridges that extend as far down in the mantle to 250-300 km. The Central Indian Ridge, South East Indian Ridge, Antarctica Nazca, Pacific Antarctica, Pacific Nazca and Juan de Fuca are shallow rooted ridges that extend down in the mantle only to 100 km. The deep rooted ridges appear to be characterized by a weak low velocity ridge anomaly while the shallow rooted ridges are characterized by strong low velocity ridge anomaly. This may be due to the variations of the geochemistry of the ridges due to the fractionation process during magma ascent. Furthermore, despite the three ridges that make the Indian Rodriguez Triple Junction having different characteristics, all the three sections of the ridges that make the Triple Junction are characterized by strong low velocity ridge anomaly and extended down to only 100 km. This is particularly typical for the length of nine to ten degrees from the Triple Junction which makes it appear as an independent system.