25.01.2015 Views

IASPEI - Picture Gallery

IASPEI - Picture Gallery

IASPEI - Picture Gallery

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

IUGG XXIV General Assembly July 2-13, 2007 Perugia, Italy<br />

(S) - <strong>IASPEI</strong> - International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's<br />

Interior<br />

JSS011 Oral Presentation 2114<br />

Hydrogen enhanced melting beneath the East Pacific Rise near 9 degrees<br />

30 N<br />

Dr. Kerry Key<br />

Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California, San Diego IAGA<br />

Steven Constable<br />

A 200 km wide electrical conductivity profile obtained across the fast spreading East Pacific Rise at 9<br />

degrees 30 N using 38 broadband seafloor magnetotelluric sites reveals a broad, deep, and asymmetric<br />

mantle conductor. High conductivity below 60 km depth requires hydrogen (water) enhanced partial<br />

melting beginning at 200 km depth and reaching a maximum at 80 km with 1-5% melt fraction<br />

estimated. Hydrogen enhanced conductivity may also contribute to the deep conductor, but this<br />

requires a mechanism to increase hydrogen concentration as mantle rises beneath the ridge in order to<br />

match the observed conductivity increase. The mantle is devoid of melt above 30 km as well as to 60<br />

km depth west of the ridge, but a highly conductive region 30 km east of the axis and 40 km deep<br />

suggests melt ponding beneath a freezing horizon and episodic migration to the crust, supporting earlier<br />

evidence of off-axis melt supply and eruptions.<br />

Keywords: mid ocean ridge, mantle melting, conductivity

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!