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Non Steady-State Thermal Model of Spreading Ridges: Implications for Melt Generation and Mantle Outcrops

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Mantle and Lower Crust Exposed in Oceanic Ridges and in Ophiolites

Part of the book series: Petrology and Structural Geology ((PESG,volume 6))

Abstract

A non steady-state thermal model is proposed for the axial domain of spreading ridges, in which accretion is simulated as the superposition of seafloor spreading and thermal inputs which vary through time associated with magmato-tectonic cycles. Realistic time frequencies of accretion are tested for extreme cases of slow and fast spreading ridges. The thermal structure, melt fraction and crustal production are computed. For fast spreading ridges, the partial melt region is very wide and varies little through time; the associated crustal production is large and nearly constant. In contrast, melting zones beneath slow spreading ridges are narrow and waxing and waning through time; the associated crustal production decreases dramatically toward zero at the end of cycles. Our model reconciles opposing views on the geometry of the melting regions beneath spreading centres and their relationship to spreading rate. In addition, it accounts for the occurrence of mantle rock outcrops reported along the ridge axis and for the relationship between their relative abundance and axial segmentation.

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  1. CNRS URA 1278 Domaines Océaniques, Département des Sciences de la Terre, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, BP 809, 29285, Brest cedex, France

    Chantal Tisseau & Thierry Tonnerre

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  1. Chantal Tisseau
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  1. Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geodynamics Research Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    R. L. M. Vissers

  2. Laboratoire de Tectonophysique, Université des Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, Montpellier, France

    A. Nicolas

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Tisseau, C., Tonnerre, T. (1995). Non Steady-State Thermal Model of Spreading Ridges: Implications for Melt Generation and Mantle Outcrops. In: Vissers, R.L.M., Nicolas, A. (eds) Mantle and Lower Crust Exposed in Oceanic Ridges and in Ophiolites. Petrology and Structural Geology, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8585-9_8

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