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Geophysical and geochemical evidence for deep temperature variations beneath mid-ocean ridges.
Colleen A Dalton1, Charles H Langmuir, Allison Gale
1Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|April 5, 2014
Summary
Earth's mantle temperature variations, exceeding 250°C to depths over 400 km, influence mantle convection and ocean basin depths. This study integrates seismic data, ridge depths, and basalt composition to reveal global thermal patterns.
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Earth Science
- Planetary Science
Background:
- Mantle temperature and composition fundamentally control Earth's properties like convection vigor and ocean basin depths.
- Seismic wave velocities, ocean ridge depths, and mid-ocean ridge basalt composition are key indicators of mantle variations.
- These indicators are often analyzed separately, limiting a comprehensive understanding of mantle dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To integrate seismic wave velocities, ocean ridge depths, and mid-ocean ridge basalt composition to determine mantle temperature and composition.
- To investigate the extent and nature of mantle thermal and compositional variations.
- To establish a thermal calibration scale for seismic velocity interpretation.
Main Methods:
- Correlating seismic wave velocities with ocean ridge depths.
- Analyzing the composition of mid-ocean ridge basalts.
- Comparing integrated data sets to models of mantle temperature and composition.
Main Results:
- Observed correlations are consistent with a 250°C temperature variation extending to depths greater than 400 km.
- Results are inconsistent with mantle compositional variations at constant temperature.
- Anomalously hot ridge segments correlate with hot spots, suggesting a deep mantle plume origin for hot spot volcanism.
Conclusions:
- A coherent mantle temperature signal exists globally, extending to significant depths.
- Mantle temperature variations, rather than composition, are the primary driver of observed seismic and bathymetric data at ridges.
- This thermal signal provides a crucial calibration for interpreting seismic velocities in regions distant from mid-ocean ridges.
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