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Spreading center dynamics and melt migration
Author(s) -
Parmentier E. M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/95rg00100
Subject(s) - geology , lithosphere , mantle (geology) , crust , seafloor spreading , geophysics , upwelling , seismology , earth science , tectonics , oceanography
Melting of upwelling mantle beneath spreading centers generates the basaltic crust that covers a large fraction of the Earth's surface. Crustal emplacement of mantle melt and faulting associated with lithosphere extension in a narrow, few kilometer wide region along the axis of spreading centers largely defines the structural and morphological fabric of the entire seafloor. Given this important role in shaping the earth, it is not surprising that spreading centers have been a major focus of earth science research over the past four years. The papers that have appeared even during this short time are too numerous to review completely in this report. Fortunately, following the previous report of Phipps Morgan (1991), several papers (Forsyth, 1992; Solomon and Toomey, 1992) provide a good review of many important aspects of the geophysical characteristics of spreading centers. Consequently this report will focus on recent developments in understanding the mechanisms and processes that shape spreading centers. An extensive (but not exhaustive) bibliography of papers that have appeared in the last four years is included, but not all of these can be discussed in the text.