Isobel Yeo
Eruptive hummocks : building blocks of the upper ocean crust
Yeo, Isobel; Searle, Roger C.; Achenbach, Kay L.; Le Bas, Tim P.; Murton, Bramley J.
Authors
Roger C. Searle
Kay L. Achenbach
Tim P. Le Bas
Bramley J. Murton
Abstract
The spreading axis at many slow-spreading mid-ocean ridges is marked by an axial volcanic ridge. In this study, we use a combination of high-resolution remote sensing methods to elucidate the detailed nature of volcanoes in such a ridge. We find that the “hummocks” described in previous sidescan sonar studies are dome- or cone-shaped edifices, 5–150 m high with diameters of 30–330 m. We estimate they form quickly, in single eruptions, each of which may produce several hummocks. Hummock collapse is common and hummocks of all heights are prone to failure. Collapses generally occur down the regional seafloor slope, suggesting control by local topography. Approximately 33% of hummocks lose ∼40% of their volume by collapse, so ∼12% of all material erupted on the axial volcanic ridge is rapidly converted to talus. The higher porosity of these deposits may increase average upper crustal porosity by several percent, contributing >0.5 km s−1 to seismic velocity decrease in the upper oceanic crust, and may be one of the dominant mechanisms for increasing porosity in upper slow-spreading oceanic crust.
Citation
Yeo, I., Searle, R. C., Achenbach, K. L., Le Bas, T. P., & Murton, B. J. (2012). Eruptive hummocks : building blocks of the upper ocean crust. Geology, 40(1), 91-94. https://doi.org/10.1130/g31892.1
Journal Article Type | Article |
---|---|
Publication Date | Jan 1, 2012 |
Deposit Date | Feb 7, 2012 |
Journal | Geology |
Print ISSN | 0091-7613 |
Electronic ISSN | 1943-2682 |
Publisher | Geological Society of America |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 40 |
Issue | 1 |
Pages | 91-94 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1130/g31892.1 |
Public URL | https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1506247 |
You might also like
Structure and development of an Axial Volcanic Ridge: Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 45°N
(2010)
Journal Article
Mid-Ocean Ridges
(2013)
Book
Deep-tow three component magnetic measurement, solutions for calibration and interpretation
(2012)
Journal Article
Downloadable Citations
About Durham Research Online (DRO)
Administrator e-mail: dro.admin@durham.ac.uk
This application uses the following open-source libraries:
SheetJS Community Edition
Apache License Version 2.0 (http://www.apache.org/licenses/)
PDF.js
Apache License Version 2.0 (http://www.apache.org/licenses/)
Font Awesome
SIL OFL 1.1 (http://scripts.sil.org/OFL)
MIT License (http://opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.html)
CC BY 3.0 ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
Powered by Worktribe © 2025
Advanced Search