Variable morphologic expression of volcanic, tectonic, and hydrothermal processes at six hydrothermal vent fields in the Lau back-arc basin

View/ Open
Date
2008-07-26Author
Ferrini, Vicki L.
Concept link
Tivey, Margaret K.
Concept link
Carbotte, Suzanne M.
Concept link
Martinez, Fernando
Concept link
Roman, Christopher N.
Concept link
Metadata
Show full item recordCitable URI
https://hdl.handle.net/1912/3280As published
https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GC002047DOI
10.1029/2008GC002047Abstract
Ultrahigh-resolution bathymetric maps (25 cm grid) are used to quantify the physical dimensions of and spatial relationships between tectonic, volcanic, and hydrothermal features at six hydrothermal vent fields in the Lau back-arc basin. Supplemented with near-bottom photos, and nested within regional DSL-120A side-scan sonar data, these maps provide insight into the nature of hydrothermal systems along the Eastern Lau Spreading Center (ELSC) and Valu Fa Ridge (VFR). Along-axis transitions evident in localized volcanic morphology and tectonic characteristics include a change from broad low-relief volcanic domes (hundreds of meters wide, <10 m tall) that are dominated by pillow and lobate lava morphologies and are cut by faults and fissures to higher aspect ratio volcanic domes (tens of meters wide, tens of meters tall) dominated by aa-type lava morphologies, with finger-like flows, and few tectonic structures. These along-axis differences in localized seafloor morphology suggest differences in hydrothermal circulation pathways within the shallow crust and correlate with regional transitions in a variety of ridge properties, including the large-scale morphology of the ridge axis (shallow axial valley to axial high), seafloor lava compositions, and seismic properties of the upper crust. Differences in morphologic characteristics of individual flows and lava types were also quantified, providing an important first step toward the remote characterization of complex terrains associated with hydrothermal vent fields.
Description
Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2008. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 9 (2008): Q07022, doi:10.1029/2008GC002047.
Collections
Suggested Citation
Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 9 (2008): Q07022Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Rare earth element abundances in hydrothermal fluids from the Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea : indicators of sub-seafloor hydrothermal processes in back-arc basins
Craddock, Paul R.; Bach, Wolfgang; Seewald, Jeffrey S.; Rouxel, Olivier J.; Reeves, Eoghan P.; Tivey, Margaret K. (2010-05-02)Rare earth element (REE) concentrations are reported for a large suite of seafloor vent fluids from four hydrothermal systems in the Manus back–arc basin (Vienna Woods, PACMANUS, DESMOS and SuSu Knolls vent areas). Sampled ... -
Insights to magmatic–hydrothermal processes in the Manus back-arc basin as recorded by anhydrite
Craddock, Paul R.; Bach, Wolfgang (2010-06-16)Microchemical analyses of rare earth element (REE) concentrations and Sr and S isotope ratios of anhydrite are used to identify sub–seafloor processes governing the formation of hydrothermal fluids in the convergent ... -
Geochemical tracers of processes affecting the formation of seafloor hydrothermal fluids and deposits in the Manus back-arc basin
Craddock, Paul R. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2009-02)Systematic differences in trace element compositions (rare earth element (REE), heavy metal, metalloid concentrations) of seafloor vent fluids and related deposits from hydrothermal systems in the Manus back–arc basin ...