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Large melt diversity at a mid-ocean ridge thermal low
Daniele Brunelli1,2,3, Léna Verhoest1,4, Marco Ligi5
1Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, 41125, Italy.
Science Advances
|April 30, 2025
Summary
Cold mid-ocean ridge segments, like the eastern Romanche ridge-transform intersection (ERRTI), reveal mantle lithological diversity by reducing melting. This research highlights complex mantle components and dynamic processes, offering new insights into melt generation.
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Geology
- Marine Geosciences
Background:
- Mid-ocean ridges are crucial for studying mantle composition.
- Extensive melting at typical mid-ocean ridges obscures mantle lithological diversity.
- Cold lithospheric segments offer unique windows into mantle heterogeneity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate mantle heterogeneity using cold mid-ocean ridge segments.
- To understand how reduced melting preserves lithological diversity.
- To explore mantle composition and dynamic processes independent of hotspot influences.
Main Methods:
- Geochemical and isotopic analysis of mantle samples.
- Geological mapping of the eastern Romanche ridge-transform intersection (ERRTI).
- Thermal modeling of ridge-lithosphere interaction.
Main Results:
- Identified a mosaic of mantle components with diverse geochemical and isotopic signatures.
- Demonstrated that cold lithosphere efficiently cools ridge tips, reducing melting and mixing.
- Revealed short-scale lithological variations preserved in cold regimes.
Conclusions:
- Cold mid-ocean ridge segments provide exceptional insights into mantle heterogeneity.
- Mantle composition is complex, reflecting dynamic processes over time.
- This study offers a novel perspective on lithospheric dynamics and melt generation.
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