Open AccessThe Galapagos Spreading Centre: Bottom‐Water Temperatures and the Significance of Geothermal Heating *
Author(s) -
Detrick R. S.,
Mudie J. D.,
Williams D. L.,
Sclater J. G.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1974.tb05433.x
Subject(s) - geothermal gradient , bottom water , hydrothermal circulation , geothermal heating , geology , thermal , heat flux , seabed , seawater , oceanography , geothermal energy , geophysics , heat transfer , seismology , meteorology , geography , physics , thermodynamics
Summary A detailed survey of bottom‐water temperatures was conducted over a portion of the Galapagos spreading centre near 0° 48° N, 86° 10° W. A complex bottom‐water temperature structure exists here with large thermal gradients both vertically and horizontally. Despite very detailed temperature measurements 50–200 m above the sea floor, no local temperature anomalies were observed which could be attributed to hydro‐thermal circulation. However, temperature measurements made less than 10 m from the bottom revealed local temperature anomalies of several hundredths °C which may have been caused by hydrothermal activity. The high geothermal heat flux associated with the Galapagos spreading centre is an important factor causing bottom‐water renewal in the Panama Basin. Slightly higher regional bottom‐water temperature observed near the Galapagos spreading centre may also be caused by geothermal heating.