Thermochemical anomalies in the upper mantle control Gakkel Ridge accretion

O'Connor J, Jokat W, Michael PJ, Schmidt-Aursch MC, Miggins DP, Koppers AAP (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Nature Communications Nature Publishing Group: Nature Communications

Book Volume: 12

Article Number: 6962

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27058-1

Abstract

Despite progress in understanding seafloor accretion at ultraslow spreading ridges, the ultimate driving force is still unknown. Here we use 40Ar/39Ar isotopic dating of mid-ocean ridge basalts recovered at variable distances from the axis of the Gakkel Ridge to provide new constraints on the spatial and temporal distribution of volcanic eruptions at various sections of an ultraslow spreading ridge. Our age data show that magmatic-dominated sections of the Gakkel Ridge spread at a steady rate of ~11.1 ± 0.9 mm/yr whereas amagmatic sections have a more widely distributed melt supply yielding ambiguous spreading rate information. These variations in spreading rate and crustal accretion correlate with locations of hotter thermochemical anomalies in the asthenosphere beneath the ridge. We conclude therefore that seafloor generation in ultra-slow spreading centres broadly reflects the distribution of thermochemical anomalies in the upper mantle.

Involved external institutions

Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI) DE Germany (DE) The University of Tulsa US United States (USA) (US) Oregon State University (OSU) US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

O'Connor, J., Jokat, W., Michael, P.J., Schmidt-Aursch, M.C., Miggins, D.P., & Koppers, A.A.P. (2021). Thermochemical anomalies in the upper mantle control Gakkel Ridge accretion. Nature Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27058-1

MLA:

O'Connor, John, et al. "Thermochemical anomalies in the upper mantle control Gakkel Ridge accretion." Nature Communications 12.1 (2021).

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