ALBERT

Notes: Abstract The Australian-Antarctic Discordance (AAD) is an anomalously deep and rugged zone of the Southeast Indian Ridge (SEIR) between 120° E and 128° E. The AAD contains the boundary between the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean isotopic provinces. We have analyzed SeaMarc II bathymetric and sidescan sonar data along the SEIR between 123° E and 128° E. The spreading center in the AAD, previously known to be divided into several transform-bounded sections, is further segmented by nontransform discontinuities which separate distinct spreading cells. Near the transform which bounds the AAD to the east, there is a marked change in the morphology of the spreading center, as well as in virtually every measured geochemical parameter. The spreading axis within the Discordance lies in a prominent rift valley similar to that observed along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, although the full spreading rate within the AAD is somewhat faster than that of slow-spreading centers (~ 74 mm a−1 vs. 0–40 mm a−1). The AAD rift valleys show a marked contrast with the axial high that characterizes the SEIR east of the AAD. This change in axial morphology is coincident with a large (~ 1 km) deepening of the spreading axis. The segmentation characteristics of the AAD are analogous to those of the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge, as opposed to the SEIR east of the AAD, which exhibits segmentation characteristics typical of fast-spreading centers. Thus, the spreading center within and east of the AAD contains much of the range of global variability in accretionary processes, yet it is a region free from spreading rate variations and the volumetric and chemical influences of hotspots. We suggest that the axial morphology and segmentation characteristics of the AAD spreading centers are the result of the presence of cooler than normal mantle. The presence of a cool mantle and the subsequent diminution of magma supply at a constant spreading rate may engender the creation of anomalously thick brittle lithosphere within the AAD, a condition which favor, the creation of an axial rift valley and of thin oceanic crust, in agreement with petrologic studies. The morphologies of transform and non-transform discontinuities within the Discordance also possess characteristics consistent with the creation of anomalously thick lithosphere in the region. The upper mantle viscosity structure which results from lower mantle temperatures and melt production rates may account for the similarity in segmentation characteristics between the AAD and slow-spreading centers. The section of the AAD which overlies the isotopic boundary is associated with chaotic seafloor which may be caused by an erratic pattern of magmatism and/or complex deformation associated with mantle convergence. Finally, the pattern of abyssal hill terrain within a portion of the AAD supports previous models for the formation of abyssal hills at intermediate- and slow-spreading ridges, and provides insights into how asymmetric spreading is achieved in this region.

Notes: Abstract Analysis of Sea Beam bathymetry along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between 24°00′ N and 30°40′ N reveals the nature and scale of the segmentation of this slow-spreading center. Except for the Atlantis Transform, there are no transform offsets along this 800-km-long portion of the plate boundary. Instead, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is offset at intervals of 10–100 km by nontransform discontinuities, usually located at local depth maxima along the rift valley. At these discontinuities, the horizontal shear between offset ridge segments is not accommodated by a narrow, sustained transform-zone. Non-transform discontinuities along the MAR can be classified according to their morphology, which is partly controlled by the distance between the offset neovolcanic zones, and their spatial and temporal stability. Some of the non-transform discontinuities are associated with off-axis basins which integrate spatially to form discordant zones on the flanks of the spreading center. These basins may be the fossil equivalents of the terminal lows which flank the neovolcanic zone at the ends of each segment. The off-axis traces, which do not lie along small circles about the pole of opening of the two plates, reflect the migration of the discontinuities along the spreading center. The spectrum of rift valley morphologies ranges from a narrow, deep, hourglass-shaped valley to a wide valley bounded by low-relief rift mountains. A simple classification of segment morphology involves two types of segments. Long and narrow segments are found preferentially on top of the long-wavelength, along-axis bathymetric high between the Kane and Atlantis Transforms. These segments are associated with circular mantle Bouguer anomalies which are consistent with focused mantle upwelling beneath the segment mid-points. Wide, U-shaped segments in cross-section are preferentially found in the deep part of the long-wavelength, along-axis depth profile. These segments do not appear to be associated with circular mantle Bouguer anomalies, indicating perhaps a more complex pattern of mantle upwelling and/or crustal structure. Thus, the long-recognized bimodal distribution of segment morphology may be associated with different patterns of mantle upwelling and/or crustal structure. We propose that the range of observed, first-order variations in segment morphology reflects differences in the flow pattern, volume and temporal continuity of magmatic upwelling at the segment scale. However, despite large first-order differences, all segments display similar intra-segment, morphotectonic variations. We postulate that the intra-segment variability represents differences in the relative importance of volcanism and tectonism along strike away from a zone of enhanced magma upwelling within each segment. The contribution of volcanism to the morphology will be more important near the shallowest portion of the rift valley within each segment, beneath which we postulate that upwelling of magma is enhanced, than beneath the ends of the segment. Conversely, the contribution of tectonic extension to the morphology will become more important toward the spreading center discontinuities. Variations in magmatic budget along the strike of a segment will result in along-axis variations in crustal structure. Segment mid-points may coincide with regions of highest melt production and thick crust, and non-transform discontinuities with regions of lowest melt production and thin crust. This hypothesis is consistent with available seismic and gravity data. The rift valley of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is in general an asymmetric feature. Near segment mid-points, the rift valley is usually symmetric but, away from the segment mid-points, one side of the rift valley often consists of a steep, faulted slope while the other side forms a more gradual ramp. These observations suggest that half-grabens, rather than full-grabens, are the fundamental building blocks of the rift valley. They also indicate that the pattern of faulting varies along strike at the segment scale, and may be a consequence of the three-dimensional, thermo-mechanical structure of segments associated with enhanced mantle upwelling beneath their mid-points.

Notes: Abstract We have conducted the first detailed survey of the recording of a geomagnetic reversal at an ultra-fast spreading center. The survey straddles the Brunhes/Matuyama reversal boundary at 19°30′ S on the east flank of the East Pacific Rise (EPR), which spreads at the half rate of 82 mm yr-1. In the vicinity of the reversal boundary, we performed a three-dimensional inversion of the surface magnetic field and two-dimensional inversions of several near-bottom profiles including the effects of bathymetry. The surface inversion solution shows that the polarity transition is sharp and linear, and less than 3–4 km wide. These values constitute an upper bound because the interpretation of marine magnetic anomalies observed at the sea surface is limited to wavelengths greater than 3–4 km. The polarity transition width, which represents the distance over which 90% of the change in polarity occurs, is narrow (1.5–2.1 km) as measured on individual 2-D inversion profiles of near-bottom data. This suggests a crustal zone of accretion only 3.0–4.2 km wide. Our method offers little control on accretionary processes below layer 2B because the pillow and the dike layers in young oceanic crust are by far the most significant contributors to the generation of marine magnetic anomalies. The Deep-Tow instrument package was used to determine in situ the polarity of individual volcanoes and fault scarps in the same area. We were able to make 96 in situ polarity determinations which allowed us to locate the scafloor transition boundary which separates positively and negatively magnetized lava flows. The shift between the inversion transition boundary and the seafloor transition boundary can be used to obtain an estimate of the width of the neovolcanic zone of 4–10 km. This width is significantly larger than the present width of the neovolcanic zone at 19°30′ S as documented from near-bottom bathymetric and photographic data (Bicknell et al., 1987), and also larger than the width of the neovolcanic zone at 21° N on the EPR as inferred by the three-dimensional inversion of near-bottom magnetic data (Macdonald et al., 1983). The eruption of positively magnetized lava flows over negatively magnetized crust from the numerous volcanoes present in the survey area and episodic flooding of the flanks of the ridge axis by extensive outpourings of lava erupting from a particularly robust magma chamber may result in a widened neovolcanic zone. We studied the relationship between spreading rate and polarity transition widths obtained from 2-D inversions of the near-bottom magnetic field over various spreading centers. The mean transition width corrected for the time necessary for the reversal to occur decreases with increasing spreading rate but our data set is still too sparse to draw firm conclusions from these observations. Perhaps more interesting is the fact that the range of the measured transition widths also decreases with spreading rate. In the light of these results, we propose a new model for the spreading rate dependency of polarity transition widths. At slow spreading centers, the zone of dike injection is narrow but the locus of crustal accretion is prone to small lateral shifts depending on the availability of magmatic sources, and the resulting polarity transition widths can be narrow or wide. At intermediate spreading centers, the zone of crustal accretion is narrow and does not shift laterally, which leads to narrower transition widths on the average than at slow spreading centers. An intermediate, or even a slow spreading center, may behave like a fast or hot-spot dominated ridge for short periods of time when its magmatic budget is increased due to melting events in the upper mantle. At fast spreading centers, the zone of dike injection is narrow, but the large magmatic budget of fast spreading centers may result in occasional extensive flows less than a few tens of meters thick from the axis and off-axis volcanic cones. These thin flows will not significantly contribute to the polarity transition widths, which remain narrow, but they may greatly increase the width of the neovolcanic zone. Finally the gabbro layer in the lower section of oceanic crust may also contribute to the observed polarity transition widths but this contribution will only become significant in older oceanic crust (≈50–100 m.y.).

Notes: Abstract Immediately southwest of Iceland, the Reykjanes Ridge consists of a series ofen échelon, elongate ridges superposed on an elevated, smooth plateau. We have interpreted a detailed magnetic study of the portion of the Reykjanes Ridge between 63°00′N and 63°40′N on the Icelandic insular shelf. Because the seafloor is very shallow in our survey area (100–500 m), the surface magnetic survey is equivalent to a high-sensitivity, nearbottom experiment using a deep-towed magnetometer. We have performed two-dimensional inversions of the magnetic data along profiles perpendicular to the volcanic ridges. The inversions, which yield the magnetization distribution responsible for the observed magnetic field, allow us to locate the zones of most recent volcanism and to measure spreading rates accurately. We estimate the average half spreading rate over the last 0.72 m.y. to have been 10 mm/yr within the survey area. The two-dimensional inversions allow us also to measure polarity transition widths, which provide an indirect measure of the width of the zone of crustal accretion. We find a mean transition width on the order of 4.5±1.6 km. The observed range of transition widths (2 to 8.4 km) and their mean value are characteristic of slow-spreading centers, where the locus of crustal accretion may be prone to lateral shifts depending on the availability of magmatic sources. These results suggest that, despite the unique volcanotectonic setting of the Reykjanes Ridge, the scale at which crustal accretion occurs along it may be similar to that at which it occurs along other slow-spreading centers. The polarity transition width measurements suggest a zone of crustal accretion 4–9 km wide. This value is consistent with the observed width of volcanic systems of the Reykjanes Peninsula. The magnetization amplitudes inferred from our inversions are in general agreement with NRM intensity values of dredge samples measured by De Boer (1975) and ourselves. Our thermomagnetic measurements do not support the hypothesis that the low amplitude of magnetic anomalies near Iceland is the result of a high oxidation state of the basalts. We suggest that the observed reduction in magnetic anomaly amplitude toward Iceland may be the result of an increase in the size of pillows and other igneous units.

Notes: Abstract The Atlantis Fracture Zone (30° N) is one of the smallest transform faults along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with a spatial offset of 70 km and an age offset of ~ 6 Ma. The morphology of the Atlantis Fracture Zone is typical of that of slow-slipping transforms. The transform valley is 15–20 km wide and 2–4 km deep. The locus of strike-slip deformation is confined to a narrow band a few kilometers wide. Terrain created at the outside corners of the transform is characterized by ridges which curve toward the ridge-transform intersections and depressions which resemble nodal basins. Hooked ridges are not observed on the transform side of the ridge-transform intersections. Results of the three-dimensional inversion of the surface magnetic field over our survey area suggest that accretionary processes are sufficiently organized within 3–4 km of the transform fault to produce lineated magnetic anomalies. The magnetization solution further documents a 15-km, westward relocation of the axis of accretion immediately south of the transform about 0.25 Ma ago. The Atlantis Transform is associated with a band of high mantle Bouguer anomalies, suggesting the presence of high densities in the crust and/or mantle along the transform, or anomalously thin crust beneath the transform. Assuming that all the mantle Bouguer anomalies are due to crustal thickness variations, we calculate that the crust may be 2–3 km thinner than a reference 6-km thickness beneath the transform valley, and 2–3 km thicker beneath the mid-points of the spreading segments which bound the transform. Our results indicate that crustal thinning is not uniform along the strike of the fracture zone. Based on studies of the state of compensation of the transform, we conclude that the depth anomaly associated with the fracture zone valley is not compensated everywhere by thin crust. Instead, the regional relationship between bathymetry and gravity is best explained by compensation with an elastic plate with an effective thickness of ~ 4 km or greater. However, the remaining isostatic anomalies indicate that there are large variations away from this simple model which are likely due to variations in crustal thickness and density near the transform.

Notes: Abstract Sea Beam and Deep-Tow were used in a tectonic investigation of the fast-spreading (151 mm yr-1) East Pacific Rise (EPR) at 19°30′ S. Detailed surveys were conducted at the EPR axis and at the Brunhes/Matuyama magnetic reversal boundary, while four long traverses (the longest 96 km) surveyed the rise flanks. Faulting accounts for the vast majority of the relief. Both inward and outward facing fault scarps appear in almost equal numbers, and they form the horsts and grabens which compose the abyssal hills. This mechanism for abyssal hill formation differs from that observed at slow and intermediate spreading rates where abyssal hills are formed by back-tilted inward facing normal faults or by volcanic bow-forms. At 19°30′ S, systematic back tilting of fault blocks is not observed, and volcanic constructional relief is a short wavelength signal (less than a few hundred meters) superimposed upon the dominant faulted structure (wavelength 2–8 km). Active faulting is confined to within approximately 5–8 km of the rise axis. In terms of frequency, more faulting occurs at fast spreading rates than at slow. The half extension rate due to faulting is 4.1 mm yr-1 at 19°30′ S versus 1.6 mm yr-1 in the FAMOUS area on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). Both spreading and horizontal extension are asymmetric at 19°30′ S, and both are greater on the east flank of the rise axis. The fault density observed at 19°30′ S is not constant, and zones with very high fault density follow zones with very little faulting. Three mechanisms are proposed which might account for these observations. In the first, faults are buried episodically by massive eruptions which flow more than 5–8 km from the spreading axis, beyond the outer boundary of the active fault zone. This is the least favored mechanism as there is no evidence that lavas which flow that far off axis are sufficiently thick to bury 50–150 m high fault scarps. In the second mechanism, the rate of faulting is reduced during major episodes of volcanism due to changes in the near axis thermal structure associated with swelling of the axial magma chamber. Thus the variation in fault spacing is caused by alternate episodes of faulting and volcanism. In the third mechanism, the rate of faulting may be constant (down to a time scale of decades), but the locus of faulting shifts relative to the axis. A master fault forms near the axis and takes up most of the strain release until the fault or fault set is transported into lithosphere which is sufficiently thick so that the faults become locked. At this point, the locus of faulting shifts to the thinnest, weakest lithosphere near the axis, and the cycle repeats.

Notes: Abstract We report the results of a study of the magnetic properties of basalts recovered from the axis and from 0.7 m.y. old crust at 21° N and 19°30′ S on the East Pacific Rise as well as from the 9°03′ N overlapping spreading centers. The natural remanent magnetization of the samples from 21° N and 19°30′ S decreases from the axis to 0.7 m.y. old crust as a result of low-temperature oxidation. In addition, the magnetic properties of the samples from the 21° N sites indicate that: (1) the magnetic susceptibility and the Koenigsberger ratio decrease with low-temperature alteration, (2) the Curie temperature, the median demagnetizing field and the remanent coercivity increase with maghemitization, (3) the saturation magnetization measured at room temperature does not change significantly with age. The magnetic properties of the basalt samples from the 9°03′ N overlapping spreading centers indicate the presence of a high magnetization zone at the tip of the eastern spreading center. This high magnetization zone is the result of the high percentage of unaltered, fine-grained titanomagnetites present in the samples. These measurements are consistent with the results of the three-dimensional inversion of the magnetic field over the 9°03′ N overlapping system [Sempere et al., 1984] as well as with detailed tectonic and geochemical investigations of overlapping spreading centers (Sempere and Macdonald, 1986a; Langmuir et al., 1986; Natland et al., 1986). The high magnetization zone appears to be the result of the eruption of highly fractionated basalts enriched in iron associated with the propagation of one of the limbs of the overlapping system into older lithosphere and not just to rapid decay, due to low-temperature oxidation, of the initially high magnetization of pillows extruded in the neovolcanic zone.

Notes: Abstract Overlapping spreading centers (OSCs) are a type of ridge axis discontinuity found along intermediate and fast spreading centers. The ridges at these locations overlap and curve towards each other. and are separated by an elongate overlap basin. A high resolution Deep-Tow survey was conducted over the 12°54′ N OSC (offset ≈1.6 km) on the East Pacific Rise in order to study the structure of a small OSC on a fine scale. A detailed tectonic study and Deep-Tow 3-D magnetic inversion were performed on the data. Towards the tips of both limbs, the apparent age of lava flows increases, the density of exposed faults and fissures increases, and the axial graben loses definition and disappears. No active hydrothermal vents were detected in the area. These observations suggest that the magmatic budget steadily decreases along axis approaching and OSC, even where the offset is small. In contrast with OSCs which have a large offset (〉5 km), the 3-D magnetic inversion solution for this OSC produced no evidence for highly magnetized areas near the tip of either spreading center.