Active Spreading Centers Research Articles

Oligocene and Miocene blowtorch volcanism within the California Borderland and its influence on the plate-boundary transition

Abstract The California Borderland is a uniquely broad and complex region of the North American–Pacific transform margin. Oligocene to Miocene structural reorganization, including large-magnitude extension and vertical-axis rotation of crustal blocks, formed a network of submerged fault-bounded basins, ridges, and islands offshore of southern California during its evolution from a convergent to transform boundary. Here, we report new 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating age determinations and geochemical analyses of volcanic rocks in the California Borderland, as well as a reconciled regional tectonic model. The California Borderland volcanic rocks are calc-alkaline in composition and mostly silica-oversaturated and represent relatively large-degree partial melts of the asthenosphere that incorporated hydrated forearc lithospheric components. A temporal reconciliation of these records shows that subduction of an active spreading center starting in the Oligocene and again in the Miocene was the critical control on the observed volcanism at ca. 31–30 Ma and 19–13 Ma. We posit that prolonged trench-ridge interaction generated a blowtorch effect, which resulted in widespread forearc volcanism and weakening of the crust to facilitate the unique deformation styles documented in the borderland that did not occur elsewhere along the North American–Pacific plate boundary.

Spatial evolution and temporal stability of hydrothermal processes at sediment-covered spreading centers: Constraints from Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California

The Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California is a hydrothermally active sediment-covered oceanic spreading center in the early stages of rifting. Hot-spring fluids were collected from its southern trough in 1998, 2003, and 2008 and analyzed for the concentration and isotopic composition of organic and inorganic aqueous species to assess subseafloor geochemical processes. Fluids discharged from the seafloor through hydrothermal edifices with measured temperatures of 91 to 317 °C. In general, fluids exiting larger structures were characterized by higher temperatures than fluids venting from smaller structures. Measured pH (25 °C) ranged from 5.7 to 7.1. Endmember fluids were characterized by near-zero concentrations of Mg and SO4, depletions in Na, and enrichments in K, Ca, and Cl relative to seawater, reflecting extensive interaction with sediment during circulation. Thermal maturation of sedimentary organic matter resulted in the addition of abundant ΣNH4+, ΣCO2, CH4, short-chain n-alkanes, and carboxylic acids to solution. Organic compounds added to fluids during recharge pass through high temperature deep-seated reaction zones and reach high levels of thermal maturity while others may be added by entrainment of lower temperature sedimentary pore fluids in hydrothermal upflow zones.The relative abundance of many organic compounds mobilized during hydrothermal alteration is consistent with metastable states of thermodynamic equilibrium that likely record subseafloor temperature conditions. The isotope composition of low molecular weight hydrocarbons and elevated concentrations of dissolved Cl suggest that temperatures may have exceeded the two-phase boundary for seawater and subsequently cooled before discharging at the seafloor. Periods of high temperature fluid-sediment or fluid-rock interaction followed by cooling may provide a mechanism for the aqueous mobilization and concentration of sulfide-forming metals in subseafloor mineral deposits. Fluid compositions have remained constant at the southern trough of Guaymas Basin for at least 26 years, indicating decadal stability in the physical and chemical conditions in subseafloor environments as well as the km-scale regional recharge zones containing unaltered sediment.

Local Seismicity and Sediment Deformation in the West Svalbard Margin: Implications of Neotectonics for Seafloor Seepage

AbstractIn the Fram Strait, mid‐ocean ridge spreading is represented by the ultra‐slow system of the Molloy Ridge, the Molloy Transform Fault and the Knipovich Ridge. Sediments on oceanic and continental crust are gas charged and there are several locations with documented seafloor seepage. Sedimentary faulting shows recent stress release in the sub‐surface, but the drivers of stress change and its influence on fluid flow are not entirely understood. We present here the results of an 11‐month‐long ocean bottom seismometer survey conducted over the highly faulted sediment drift northwards from the Knipovich Ridge to monitor seismicity and infer the regional state of stress. We obtain a detailed earthquake catalog that improves the spatial resolution of mid‐ocean ridge seismicity compared with published data. Seismicity at the Molloy Transform Fault is occurring southwards from the bathymetric imprint of the fault, as supported by a seismic profile. Earthquakes in the northern termination of the Knipovich Ridge extend eastwards from the ridge valley, which together with syn‐rift faulting identified in seismic reflection data, suggests that a portion of the currently active spreading center is buried under sediments away from the bathymetric expression of the rift valley. This hints at the direct link between crustal rifting processes and faulting in shallow sediments. Two earthquakes occur close to the seepage system of the Vestnesa Ridge further north from the network. We suggest that deeper rift structures, reactivated by gravity and/or post‐glacial subsidence, may lead to accommodation of stress through shallow extensional faults, therefore impacting seepage dynamics.

Ridge Subduction: Unraveling the Consequences Linked to a Slab Window Development Beneath South America at the Chile Triple Junction

AbstractThe subduction of an active spreading center generates a clear signature in the temporal evolution of subduction zones. It disrupts the typical arc‐type magmatism and intraplate seismicity, enhances the emplacement of backarc plateau lava and profoundly change the tectonics and topographic relief. These distinct observations are commonly linked to a slab window opening and mantle upwelling. The Chile Triple Junction provides the ideal setup to study the mid‐ocean ridge subduction process where both sides of the spreading center continue to subduct. Here, we use 2‐D numerical petrological‐thermomechanical modeling to focus on transient geodynamic processes caused by mid‐ocean ridge subduction. Model results show slab separation along the ridge axis with the opening of a slab window. During the opening, partial melts from the spreading center migrate toward the subcontinental mantle and high temperatures in the forearc are predicted. The temporal evolution of the modeled temperature is consistent with observed heat flow data, and with magmatism and high‐temperature metamorphism recorded in Chilean forearc rocks. Such migrated partial melts might explain the low viscosity inferred and low seismic velocity anomalies imaged in the slab window beneath South America, and the common geochemical signature of the Chile Ridge, the Taitao Ophiolite and the backarc magmatism. Following slab separation, our models suggest forearc uplift and changes in the stress regime, processes which are consistent with deformation records. Summarizing, our model of the geodynamic evolution of the Chile Ridge subduction provides a consistent framework that explains diverse records of magmatism, metamorphism, deformation and mantle physical properties.

Deep subduction of the Philippine Sea slab and formation of slab window beneath central Japan

The geometry of the Philippine Sea slab (PHS) subducting beneath the Japanese islands has been imaged to 400 km depth beneath the Kyushu and Chugoku regions, whereas the PHS slab geometry beneath the Hokuriku region has only been determined to ~ 140 km depth, thereby indicating a large east–west asymmetry in the slab subduction. However, geologic evidence suggests that there was symmetrical east–west seafloor spreading along the axis of the Kinan seamount chain when the Shikoku basin was an active spreading center in the PHS plate. This inconsistency suggests that the PHS slab should be present beneath the Hokuriku region. Here we perform P-wave travel-time tomography across central Japan and conduct a two-dimensional plate subduction numerical simulation that reproduces the dual subduction of the PHS and Pacific (PAC) plates to elucidate the PHS slab geometry beneath central Japan. The tomography results reveal a high-velocity anomaly at ~ 150–250 km depth that extends from Wakasa bay to Noto peninsula and a slab window beneath the Hokuriku region. The numerical simulation results suggest that the PHS slab may have torn when it collided with the PAC slab, with the once leading edge of the PHS slab now present along the upper surface of the PAC slab beneath Noto peninsula. These results indicate that the PHS slab exists at ~ 250 km depth beneath the Hokuriku region, although it has been torn owing to its collision with the PAC slab, with this tear propagating westward to form a triangular slab window beneath the Hokuriku region.Graphical

Along-strike magma-poor/magma-rich spreading transitions

Abstract 1D/2D data-based studies of active spreading centres brought the knowledge of extension rate-dependent stretching-dominated v. buoyancy-dominated spreading. 3D reflection seismic data from the extinct centre of an initial oceanic corridor in the Caribbean allow us to see an along-strike transition between stretching- and buoyancy-dominated spreading where the spreading through detachment faulting is a precursor to the magma-assisted spreading. Studying progressively more evolved portions of the spreading centre, going from its end towards its centre, we see a progressively higher ascent of the asthenosphere, which heats the developing core complex in the exhuming footwall of the initial stretching-dominated system. The asthenospheric ascent is associated with thermal weakening of the core complex, which eventually results in ductile deformation reaching the upper portion of the complex. Subsequently, the core complex is penetrated by the dyke located at the top of the asthenospheric body. The dyke, which subsequently evolves to a diapir-shaped body, reaches the sea floor and establishes a magma-assisted steady-state seafloor spreading. These observations lead to a model explaining the initiation of the magma-assisted spreading in the initial oceanic corridor. Furthermore, they also improve our knowledge of multiple interacting mechanisms involved in the breakup of the last continental lithospheric layer, subsequent disorganized spreading and younger organized spreading.

From rifting to oceanization in the Gulf of Aden: Insights from 2D numerical models

We investigate the evolution of the Gulf of Aden from rift initiation to the development of active oceanic spreading center by means of 2D thermo-mechanical numerical models, in which the formation of oceanic crust and serpentinite due to the hydration of the uprising mantle peridotite has been implemented. Our analysis highlights that evolution of the models is characterized by four main tectonic phases: a) a first phase (phase I) characterized by low deformation rates throughout the divergent crustal blocks, except near the future ridge where a high crustal velocity gradient generates an intense strain rates; b) a second phase (phase II) during which the crust undergoes an intense, stable and widespread strain, with the localization of the thinning near the future ridge that ends into crustal breakup c) a third phase (phase III) that characterizes the post- crustal breakup evolution of the models during which a mechanical relaxation of the system and a continuum decreasing of the strain rate can be observed, until the occurrence of lithospheric breakup, and d) fourth phase (phase IV) that lasts up to the end of the evolution and during which the two continental blocks move rigidly. We also find that the timing of mantle serpentinization is not affected by the initial thermal configuration of the lithosphere, but a relationship with the crustal thickness can be observed. Rather, the timing of mantle partial melting strongly depends on the initial thermal conditions of both the lithosphere and the crust. We constrain the crustal and lithospheric thickness at 40 and 150 km, respectively, considering the timing of breakup that occurs 20 Myr after the onset of the extension for 0.05% percentage of mantle hydration (in agreement with magma-poor rift margins). Finally, model prediction supports the hypothesis that the Gulf of Aden developed as a slow passive rift of a thin lithosphere with a thick crust and the variation of the features along the passive margins could be related to a lateral variation in the amount of H2O in the mantle, which determines different timing in the mantle melting.

Poisson's Ratio Structure Beneath the Nazca Ridge

AbstractThe Nazca Ridge (NR) was formed near the interaction of a hotspot mantle plume and an active spreading center. We use active‐source wide‐angle seismic data to obtain 2‐D Vp and Vs tomographic models, and hence the Poisson's ratio (ν) structure beneath the NR. Results show a ∼2 km thick seismic layer 2A with ν values of 0.25–0.32 in the uppermost crust interpreted as pillow basalts with a low degree of fracturing and/or hydrothermal alteration. The 2A/B boundary layer presents ν values of 0.27–0.29 consistent with pillow basalts/sheeted dykes units. A ∼3 km layer 2B overlies a ∼10 km layer 3 with ν values of 0.24–0.3 at the 2/3 boundary layer. The lowermost layer 3 presents ν values of 0.28 ± 0.02 suggesting an increase in Mg content (≥10% wt). The NR crust (∼15 km thick) requires an increment of the asthenospheric mantle potential temperature in ∼100°C formed by passive adiabatic decompression melting.

A new geological map of the Lau Basin (southwestern Pacific Ocean) reveals crustal growth processes in arc-backarc systems

A 1:1,000,000-scale lithostratigraphic assemblage map of the Lau Basin (southwestern Pacific Ocean) has been created using remote predictive mapping (RPM) techniques developed by geological surveys on land. Formation-level geological units were identified in training sets at scales of 1:100,000–1:200,000 in different parts of the basin and then extrapolated to the areas where geological data are sparse. The final compilation is presented together with a quantitative analysis of assemblage-level crustal growth based on area-age relationships of the assigned units. The data sets used to develop mapping criteria and an internally consistent legend for the compilation included high-resolution ship-based multibeam, satellite- and ship-based gravity, magnetics, seafloor imaging, and sampling data. The correlation of units was informed by published geochronological information and kinematic models of basin opening. The map covers >1,000,000 km2 of the Lau-Tonga arc-backarc system, subdivided into nine assemblage types: forearc crust (9% by area), crust of the active volcanic arc (7%), backarc rifts and spreading centers (20%), transitional arc-backarc crust (13%), relict arc crust (38%), relict backarc crust (8%), and undivided arc-backarc assemblages (<5%), plus oceanic assemblages, intraplate volcanoes, and carbonate platforms. Major differences in the proportions of assemblage types compared to other intraoceanic subduction systems (e.g., Mariana backarc, North Fiji Basin) underscore the complex geological makeup of the Lau Basin. Backarc crust formed and is forming simultaneously at 12 different locations in the basin in response to widely distributed extension, and this is considered to be a dominant pattern of crustal accretion in large arc-backarc systems. Accelerated basin opening and a microplate breakout north of the Peggy Ridge has been accommodated by seven different spreading centers. The result is an intricate mosaic of small intact assemblages in the north of the basin, compared to fewer and larger assemblages in the south. Although the oldest rocks are Eocene (~40 m.y. old basement of the Lau and Tonga Ridges), half of the backarc crust in the map area formed within the last 3 m.y. and therefore represents some of the fastest growing crust on Earth, associated with prolific magmatic and hydro-thermal activity. These observations provide important clues to the geological evolution and makeup of ancient backarc basins and to processes of crustal growth that ultimately lead to the emergence of continents.

A cold seep triggered by a hot ridge subduction

The Chile Triple Junction, where the hot active spreading centre of the Chile Rise system subducts beneath the South American plate, offers a unique opportunity to understand the influence of the anomalous thermal regime on an otherwise cold continental margin. Integrated analysis of various geophysical and geological datasets, such as bathymetry, heat flow measured directly by thermal probes and calculated from gas hydrate distribution limits, thermal conductivities, and piston cores, have improved the knowledge about the hydrogeological system. In addition, rock dredging has evidenced the volcanism associated with ridge subduction. Here, we argue that the localized high heat flow over the toe of the accretionary prism results from fluid advection promoted by pressure-driven discharge (i.e., dewatering/discharge caused by horizontal compression of accreted sediments) as reported previously. However, by computing the new heat flow values with legacy data in the study area, we raise the assumption that these anomalous heat flow values are also promoted by the eastern flank of the currently subducting Chile Rise. Part of the rift axis is located just below the toe of the wedge, where active deformation and vigorous fluid advection are most intense, enhanced by the proximity of the young volcanic chain. Our results provide valuable information to current and future studies related to hydrothermal circulation, seismicity, volcanism, gas hydrate stability, and fluid venting in this natural laboratory.

What Controls Effective Elastic Thickness of the Lithosphere in the Pacific Ocean?

AbstractThe effective elastic thickness () of the lithosphere is a proxy for mechanical strength and can be used to constrain lithospheric rheology and understand how surface deformation relates to deep Earth processes. Here, we map variations over the Pacific Ocean from the inversion of the admittance between free‐air gravity anomaly and bathymetry data calculated using a continuous wavelet transform, taking both surface and subsurface loads into account. The Pacific lithosphere show ranging between 0 and 80 km with a mean of 13.5 km and a standard deviation of 12.3 km. We find that is generally poorly correlated with plate loading age, crustal age, heat flow and Curie point depth, except for relatively young (<60 Ma) and warm lithospheres. Most oceanic plateaus and seamounts show km, with the lowest values (<5 km) around active spreading centers. The highest estimates (>30 km) are found along subduction zones and around the Hawaiian‐Emperor Seamount Chain (HESC). Taken together, these results support a temperature control on for small loads and warm lithosphere through steady‐state creep processes, but strain hardening operating at large plastic strain and low temperature could explain high associated with large‐amplitude and long‐wavelength loads (subduction zones and the HESC) and should be incorporated in yield strength models of oceanic .

Mineralogical Constraints on the Magma Mixing Beneath the Iheya Graben, an Active Back-Arc Spreading Centre of the Okinawa Trough

Abstract The Iheya Graben is a back-arc spreading centre in the middle part of the Okinawa Trough. It is also located in the centre of an anomalous volcanic zone (volcanic arc migration phenomenon, or VAMP) and is characterized by bimodal volcanism, unusually high heat flow and active hydrothermal circulation. The subvolcanic magma plumbing system and the magmatic processes related to the formation of rare erupted intermediate lavas in this area remain uncertain. In this study, we conducted systematic mineralogical analyses (in situ major element, trace element and Sr isotopes) and whole rock geochemical analyses (major element, trace element and Sr–Nd isotopes) on an andesite (T5-2; type C andesite) and a rhyolite (C11; type 2 rhyolite), and present evidence for magma mixing in the origins of these lavas. Andesite T5-2 contains a mafic mineral assemblage and a silicic mineral assemblage, which are derived from a basaltic melt and a type 2 rhyolitic melt, respectively. A 4:6 mixture of basalt and type 2 rhyolite from the Iheya Graben reproduces the whole-rock major element, trace element, and Sr–Nd isotope compositions of T5-2. Rhyolite C11 contains a group of disequilibrium minerals that crystallized from a less evolved rhyolitic melt with relatively more enriched Sr–Nd isotope compositions, suggesting mixing of this melt with a more evolved and isotopically more depleted rhyolitic melt. This mixing process could produce a series of rhyolitic melts with a negative correlation between SiO2 concentrations and 87Sr/86Sr ratios (or a positive correlation for 143Nd/144Nd ratios), which are recorded by the whole group of type 2 rhyolites. The results from mineral-based thermobarometers suggest that the premixing storage temperatures of the basaltic and rhyolitic melts are ∼1100 °C and 870–900 °C, respectively. The hybrid andesitic melt has temperatures of ∼950 to ∼980 °C. The magma storage pressures are not well constrained, ranging from ∼400 MPa to ∼100 MPa. We show that magma mixing plays a significant role in the origins of diverse volcanism in the middle Okinawa Trough; more specifically, two of the three types of andesites (types B and C) and one of the two types of rhyolites (type 2) are associated with magma mixing. We thus propose a complex magma plumbing system with multichamber magma storage and frequent magma mixing beneath the Iheya Graben.

Shallow Nonvolcanic Tremor Activity and Potential Repeating Earthquakes in the Chile Triple Junction: Seismic Evidence of the Subduction of the Active Nazca–Antarctic Spreading Center

ABSTRACT In southern Chile, at ∼46.2°S and ∼75.2°W, the active spreading center between the Nazca and Antarctic plates is colliding with the South American plate, forming the Chile triple junction (CTJ). For 1 yr, from March 2009 to February 2010, five ocean‐bottom seismometers (OBSs) were deployed over the CTJ. We used a portion of the OBS data to study the seismic signatures of the subduction of the active Nazca–Antarctic spreading center. Using the envelope technique, we detected long episodes of shallow nonvolcanic tremor (NVT) activity. To improve the identified location of the NVT activity, we cross‐correlated the vertical and horizontal components of all located NVTs. In different months, we measured the local maximum of the lag‐time correlation near 2 s, which is associated with the lag between the S and P waves (S−Ptime). Furthermore, we observed that in the days with intense tremor activity, the maxima corresponding to S−Ptime emerged in windows without observable NVTs. We suggest that days with intense tremor activity correspond to an almost continuous slow slip, which may accelerate and decelerates nearly randomly, with spatial and temporal heterogeneity. In addition, we detected some potential repeating earthquakes with an S−Ptime near 2 s, as well as NVTs. The detected NVT activity and potential repeating earthquakes suggest the existence of a shallow region close to the CTJ that is able to generate brittle (earthquakes) and brittle–ductile (potential repeating earthquakes and NVTs) ruptures.

The Iceland Deep Drilling Project at Reykjanes: Drilling into the root zone of a black smoker analog

The aim of the Iceland Deep Drilling Project is to drill into supercritical geothermal systems and examine their economic potential. The exploratory well IDDP-2 was drilled in the Reykjanes geothermal field in SW Iceland, on the landward extension of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The Reykjanes geothermal field produces from a <300 °C reservoir at 1 to 2.5 km depth and is unusual because it is recharged by seawater. The well was cased to 3000 m depth, and then angled towards the main up-flow zone of the system, to a total slant depth of 4659 m (~4500 m vertical depth). Based on alteration mineral assemblages, joint inversion of wireline logging, and rate of heating measurements, the bottom hole temperature is estimated to be about 535 °C.The major problem encountered during drilling was the total loss of circulation below 3 km depth and continuing to the final depth. Drilling continued without recovering drill cuttings, consequently spot coring provided the only deep rock samples from the well. These cores are characteristic of a basaltic sheeted dike complex, with hydrothermal alteration mineral assemblages that range from greenschist to amphibolite facies, hornblende hornfels, and pyroxene hornfels, allowing the opportunity to investigate water-rock interaction in the active roots of an analog of a submarine hydrothermal system. As they have not yet been sampled, the composition of the deep fluids at Reykjanes is unknown at present. Cold water is currently being injected with the aim of enhancing permeability at depth, before allowing the well to heat up prior to flow tests planned for early 2019. The well has at least two fluid feed zones, a dominant one at 3.4 km depth and a second smaller one at 4.5 km.Extensive geophysical surveys of the Reykjanes Peninsula completed recently allow correlation of geophysical signals with rocks properties and in-situ conditions in the subsurface. Earthquake activity monitored with a local seismic network during drilling the IDDP-2 drilling detected abundant small earthquakes (ML ≤ 2) within the depth range of 3–5 km. A zone at 3–5 km depth below the producing geothermal field that was generally aseismic prior to drilling, but became seismically active during the drilling.The drilling of the IDDP-2 has achieved number of scientific and engineering firsts. It is the deepest and hottest drill hole so far sited on an active mid-ocean spreading center. It penetrated an active supercritical hydrothermal environment at depths analogous to those postulated as the high temperature reaction zones feeding black smoker systems.

Crust and uppermost-mantle structure of Greenland and the Northwest Atlantic from Rayleigh wave group velocity tomography

The Greenland landmass preserves ∼4 billion years of tectonic history, but much of the continent is inaccessible to geological study due to the extensive inland ice cap. We map out, for the first time, the 3-D crustal structure of Greenland and the NW Atlantic ocean, using Rayleigh wave anisotropic group velocity tomography, in the period range 10–80 s, from regional earthquakes and the ongoing GLATIS/GLISN seismograph networks. 1-D inversion gives a pseudo-3-D model of shear wave velocity structure to depths of ∼100 km with a horizontal resolution of ∼200 km. Crustal thickness across mainland Greenland ranges from ∼25 km to over 50 km, and the velocity structure shows considerable heterogeneity. The large sedimentary basins on the continental shelf are clearly visible as low velocities in the upper ∼5–15 km. Within the upper continental basement, velocities are systematically lower in northern Greenland than in the south, and exhibit a broadly NW–SE trend. The thinning of the crust at the continental margins is also clearly imaged. Upper-mantle velocities show a clear distinction between typical fast cratonic lithosphere (Vs ≥4.6 km s−1) beneath Greenland and its NE margin and anomalously slow oceanic mantle (Vs ∼4.3–4.4 km s−1) beneath the NW Atlantic. We do not observe any sign of pervasive lithospheric modification across Greenland in the regions associated with the presumed Iceland hotspot track, though the average crustal velocity in this region is higher than that of areas to the north and south. Crustal anisotropy beneath Greenland is strong and complex, likely reflecting numerous episodes of tectonic deformation. Beneath the North Atlantic and Baffin Bay, the dominant anisotropy directions are perpendicular to the active and extinct spreading centres. Anisotropy in the subcontinental lithosphere is weaker than that of the crust, but still significant, consistent with cratonic lithosphere worldwide.

Crustal architecture of the Laptev Rift System in the East Siberian Arctic based on 2D long-offset seismic profiles and gravity modelling

The Laptev Shelf in the East Siberian Arctic represents a rare tectonic setting where an active oceanic spreading centre, the Gakkel Ridge, intersects a continental margin. The North America–Eurasia plate boundary follows the Gakkel Ridge and passes into a continental shelf; this has resulted in the development of a wide rift system that has been active since the Late Cretaceous. The new long-offset seismic profiles provide a reliable basis for deciphering the structural characteristics of this rift system. We use two new seismic profiles, along with one acquired in the 1990s, to examine the crustal architecture of the rift system. Our approach combines seismic interpretation, time to depth conversion of seismic profiles and 2D gravity forward modelling. The obtained results indicate the presence of hyperextended continental crust beneath the Ust' Lena Rift Basin and exhumed continental mantle at the base of the syn-rift succession along the rift axis. The upper crust was removed by brittle stretching, while the lower crust experienced extreme ductile thinning. Our results show that continental crust can be eliminated in the course of rifting without a considerable heat input from asthenospheric mantle.

A global review and digital database of large-scale extinct spreading centers

Extinct mid-ocean ridges record past plate boundary reorganizations, and identifying their locations is crucial to developing a better understanding of the drivers of plate tectonics and oceanic crustal accretion. Frequently, extinct ridges cannot be easily identified within existing geophysical data sets, and there are many controversial examples that are poorly constrained. We analyze the axial morphology and gravity signal of 29 well-constrained, global, large-scale extinct ridges that are digitized from global data sets, to describe their key characteristics. Additionally, the characteristics of a representative collection of active spreading centers are analyzed to review the present-day variation in the bathymetry and gravity signal of ridges in different tectonic settings such as backarc basin ridges, microplate ridges, and large-scale plate boundaries with varied spreading rates. Uncertain extinct ridge-like structures are evaluated in comparison with the signals of well-defined extinct ridges, and we assess whether their morphology and gravity signals are within the range seen at extinct (or active) ridges. There is significant variability in extinct ridge morphology; yet we find that the majority of well-defined extinct ridges have a trough form and a negative free-air gravity anomaly. We compile available data on the spreading characteristics of extinct ridges prior to cessation, such as their spreading rates and duration of spreading, and find significant differences between ridge subtypes and between oceans. Large-scale extinct mid-ocean ridges persist much longer than extinct microplate spreading ridges and extinct backarc basin spreading ridges before cessation. Extinct fragmented plate and microplate spreading centers have the highest pre-extinction spreading rates, and they have greater median relief at their axial segments, suggesting that different crustal accretion styles could lead to different morphology after spreading cessation. Backarc basin ridges have more pronounced relief when they have been active for longer before cessation, which supports theories of reduced magmatic supply as the basin width increases. Extinct ridges in the Atlantic Ocean have the lowest spreading rates prior to cessation and tend to persist for twice as long as those in the Pacific before extinction. There are a larger number of extinct ridges preserved within marginal basins than expected for their combined area; these ridges may relate to the complexity of the plate boundaries in these regions. Our review of a large number of controversial extinct ridge locations offers some insight into which proposed locations are more likely to have been former spreading centers, and our analysis further leads to the discovery of several previously unidentified structures in the south of the West Philippine Basin that likely represent extinct ridges and a possible extinct ridge in the western South Atlantic. We make available our global compilation of data and analyses of individual ridges in a global extinct ridge data set at the GPlates Portal webpage.

A global reference model of Curie-point depths based on EMAG2

In this paper, we use a robust inversion algorithm, which we have tested in many regional studies, to obtain the first global model of Curie-point depth (GCDM) from magnetic anomaly inversion based on fractal magnetization. Statistically, the oceanic Curie depth mean is smaller than the continental one, but continental Curie depths are almost bimodal, showing shallow Curie points in some old cratons. Oceanic Curie depths show modifications by hydrothermal circulations in young oceanic lithosphere and thermal perturbations in old oceanic lithosphere. Oceanic Curie depths also show strong dependence on the spreading rate along active spreading centers. Curie depths and heat flow are correlated, following optimal theoretical curves of average thermal conductivities K = ~2.0 W(m°C)−1 for the ocean and K = ~2.5 W(m°C)−1 for the continent. The calculated heat flow from Curie depths and large-interval gridding of measured heat flow all indicate that the global heat flow average is about 70.0 mW/m2, leading to a global heat loss ranging from ~34.6 to 36.6 TW.

Ni-Cu-Co-rich hydrothermal manganese mineralization in the Wallis and Futuna back-arc environment (SW Pacific)

The Wallis and Futuna back-arc system is a complex area composed of at least two active oceanic spreading centers (the Futuna and Alofi spreading centers) and young volcanic zones characterized by diffuse magmatism locally affected by the Samoan hotspot. This geological setting is favorable to the establishment of hydrothermal systems, in the form of either high-temperature (HT) hydrothermal venting or low-temperature (LT) diffuse flow. During the 2010 Futuna cruise aboard the R/V L'Atalante, three remarkable inactive LT Fe-Si-Mn deposits were discovered (Utu Uli, Anakele and Utu Sega). Some of the Mn-rich precipitates discovered exhibit the highest base metals concentrations so far recorded in ferromanganese rocks, including in the well-documented hydrogenetic crusts and polymetallic nodules. The deposits lie on top of volcanoes and formed in close association with the volcanic facies. The manganese mineralization occurs in the form of massive layered crusts and Mn-rich cements within strongly altered basaltic pyroclastic rocks, brecciated lavas and, more rarely, in sediments. Field observations and mineralogical and chemical studies support a hydrothermal origin for the mineralization and show that nickel, cobalt and copper enrichments are controlled by the precipitation of 7Å and 10Å manganates. The conventional geochemical classifications (e.g. Bonatti et al., 1972) used to decipher the origin of Mn mineralization cannot be used for this new type of deposit and new robust discrimination diagrams need to be established. We suggest that the unusual enrichment of metals recorded in our samples is due to (i) a lack of precipitation of high-temperature massive sulfides at depths that would have retained metals (e.g. Cu, Ni, Co); (ii) isolation of the hydrothermal system, thereby avoiding Ni, Co and Cu losses in the water column; and (iii) the ability of birnessite and buserite/todorokite to scavenge Co, Ni, and Cu from aqueous fluids. The Utu Uli and Anakele deposits share certain characteristics with the active hydrothermal system at Loihi seamount (e.g. the depth of mineralization, relationships with pyroclastic volcanoes, and the influence of a mantle plume source) and thus might represent late-stage products of this specific type of hydrothermal activity. Elsewhere, the Co-rich mineralization of the Calatrava volcanic field (CVF) in Spain may be a potential analog of the Utu Sega deposit. The Mn-(Co) deposits of the CVF formed in close proximity to Pliocene volcanic rocks. Metals were transported by epithermal hydrothermal solutions with high fO2 and cobalt was scavenged by Mn oxides. Together with the well-documented stratabound Mn deposits (González et al., 2016; Hein et al., 2008; Hein et al., 1996), the Mn deposits discovered in the Wallis and Futuna back-arc provide crucial insights into LT hydrothermal activity in the deep ocean. The metal-rich character of this LT hydrothermal activity may be of major importance for future research on the net flux of hydrothermally derived metals (e.g. Ni, Co, Cu) to the open ocean.

A Review on Forearc Ophiolite Obduction, Adakite-Like Generation, and Slab Window Development at the Chile Triple Junction Area: Uniformitarian Framework for Spreading-Ridge Subduction

This paper aggregates the main basic data acquired along the Chile Triple Junction (CTJ) area (45°–48°S), where an active spreading center is presently subducting beneath the Andean continental margin. Updated sea-floor kinematics associated with a comprehensive review of geologic, geochemical, and geophysical data provide new constraints on the geodynamics of this puzzling area. We discuss: (1) the emplacement mode for the Pleistocene Taitao Ridge and the Pliocene Taitao Peninsula ophiolite bodies. (2) The occurrence of these ophiolitic complexes in association with five adakite-like plutonic and volcanic centers of similar ages at the same restricted locations. (3) The inferences from the cooccurrence of these sub-coeval rocks originating from the same subducting oceanic lithosphere evolving through drastically different temperature–pressure (P–T) path: low-grade greenschist facies overprint and amphibolite-eclogite transition, respectively. (4) The evidences that document ridge-jump events and associated microplate individualization during subduction of the SCR1 and SCR-1 segments: the Chonos and Cabo Elena microplates, respectively. The ridge-jump process associated with the occurrence of several closely spaced transform faults entering subduction is controlling slab fragmentation, ophiolite emplacement, and adakite-like production and location in the CTJ area. Kinematic inconsistencies in the development of the Patagonia slab window document an 11- km westward jump for the SCR-1 spreading segment at*6.5-to-6.8 Ma. The SCR-1 spreading center is relocated beneath the North Patagonia Icefield (NPI). We argue that the deep-seated difference in the dynamically sustained origin of the high reliefs of the North and South Patagonia Icefield (NPI and SPI) is asthenospheric convection and slab melting, respectively. The Chile Triple Junction area provides the basic constraints to define the basic signatures for spreading-ridge subduction beneath an Andean-type margin