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Skew of mantle upwelling beneath the East Pacific Rise governs segmentation

Author

Listed:
  • Douglas R. Toomey

    (University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA)

  • David Jousselin

    (Nancy-Université, CRPG, 54501 Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France)

  • Robert A. Dunn

    (University of Hawaii-SOEST, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822, USA)

  • William S. D. Wilcock

    (School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA)

  • R. S. Detrick

    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA)

Abstract

Mantle upwelling is essential to the generation of new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges, and it is generally assumed that such upwelling is symmetric beneath active ridges. Here, however, we use seismic imaging to show that the isotropic and anisotropic structure of the mantle is rotated beneath the East Pacific Rise. The isotropic structure defines the pattern of magma delivery from the mantle to the crust. We find that the segmentation of the rise crest between transform faults correlates well with the distribution of mantle melt. The azimuth of seismic anisotropy constrains the direction of mantle flow, which is rotated nearly 10° anticlockwise from the plate-spreading direction. The mismatch between the locus of mantle melt delivery and the morphologic ridge axis results in systematic differences between areas of on-axis and off-axis melt supply. We conclude that the skew of asthenospheric upwelling and transport governs segmentation of the East Pacific Rise and variations in the intensity of ridge crest processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Douglas R. Toomey & David Jousselin & Robert A. Dunn & William S. D. Wilcock & R. S. Detrick, 2007. "Skew of mantle upwelling beneath the East Pacific Rise governs segmentation," Nature, Nature, vol. 446(7134), pages 409-414, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:446:y:2007:i:7134:d:10.1038_nature05679
    DOI: 10.1038/nature05679
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