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Mid-ocean ridges: discontinuities, segments and giant cracks
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|August 30, 1991
Summary
Mid-ocean ridges feature a hierarchy of segments influencing new seafloor creation. Segment length and mantle processes maintain a balance between long and short segments, shaping ocean floor geology.
Area of Science:
- Geology
- Geophysics
- Plate Tectonics
Background:
- Mid-ocean ridges are segmented by rigid and nonrigid discontinuities.
- Segmentation patterns dictate the creation of new ocean floor.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explain the hierarchy of mid-ocean ridge segmentation.
- To understand the factors controlling segment length and persistence.
Main Methods:
- Geological observations of mid-ocean ridges.
- Analysis of segmentation patterns and their relationship to plate tectonics.
Main Results:
- A hierarchy of segment sizes exists, from large and long-lived to small and transient.
- Segment length influences crack propagation force, favoring longer segments.
- Partial melting and changes in spreading direction spawn new short segments.
Conclusions:
- Ridge segmentation is a dynamic process balancing segment lengths.
- Segment length and mantle dynamics are key to ocean floor creation patterns.
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