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Estimating excess bound water content due to serpentinisation in mature slow-spreading oceanic crust using Vp/Vs

Author

Listed:
  • Lianjun Li

    (SW7 2BP)

  • Jenny Collier

    (SW7 2BP)

  • Tim Henstock

    (SO14 3ZH)

  • Saskia Goes

    (SW7 2BP)

Abstract

Mature oceanic crust carries chemically bound water which may be released in subduction zones or delivered to the deep mantle. Estimating water content in slow-spreading crust is challenging due to its complex lithology, requiring both P- and S-wave seismic velocity (Vp and Vs), the latter of which has been limited. Here we show 2D high-resolution Vp, Vs and excess bound water models due to serpentinisation of mature Atlantic crust near the Lesser Antilles. The ridge-parallel line crosses eight seafloor-spreading segments with equal numbers of magma-robust and magma-poor. Hydration is highly variable and mainly accommodated in strongly serpentinised peridotites, dominantly in magma-poor segments, which are not preferentially located near fracture zones. Serpentinised peridotites (17% of the crust) host four times more water than normal magmatic crust, increasing Atlantic subduction bound water budget by ~ 50%. This has implications back in geological time such as during supercontinent breakups when slow-spreading crust subduction was more common.

Suggested Citation

  • Lianjun Li & Jenny Collier & Tim Henstock & Saskia Goes, 2025. "Estimating excess bound water content due to serpentinisation in mature slow-spreading oceanic crust using Vp/Vs," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62052-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62052-x
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