Deep high-temperature hydrothermal circulation in a detachment faulting system on the ultra-slow spreading ridge

Chunhui Tao (), W. E. Seyfried (), R. P. Lowell, Yunlong Liu, Jin Liang, Zhikui Guo, Kang Ding, Huatian Zhang, Jia Liu, Lei Qiu, Igor Egorov, Shili Liao, Minghui Zhao, Jianping Zhou, Xianming Deng, Huaiming Li, Hanchuang Wang, Wei Cai, Guoyin Zhang, Hongwei Zhou, Jian Lin and Wei Li
Additional contact information
Chunhui Tao: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
W. E. Seyfried: University of Minnesota
R. P. Lowell: Virginia Polytechnic and State University
Yunlong Liu: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Jin Liang: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Zhikui Guo: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Kang Ding: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Huatian Zhang: Peking University
Jia Liu: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Lei Qiu: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Igor Egorov: Academician I.S. Gramberg All-Russia Scientific Research Institute for Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ocean
Shili Liao: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Minghui Zhao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jianping Zhou: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Xianming Deng: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Huaiming Li: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Hanchuang Wang: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Wei Cai: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Guoyin Zhang: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Hongwei Zhou: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR
Jian Lin: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wei Li: Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Coupled magmatic and tectonic activity plays an important role in high-temperature hydrothermal circulation at mid-ocean ridges. The circulation patterns for such systems have been elucidated by microearthquakes and geochemical data over a broad spectrum of spreading rates, but such data have not been generally available for ultra-slow spreading ridges. Here we report new geophysical and fluid geochemical data for high-temperature active hydrothermal venting at Dragon Horn area (49.7°E) on the Southwest Indian Ridge. Twin detachment faults penetrating to the depth of 13 ± 2 km below the seafloor were identified based on the microearthquakes. The geochemical composition of the hydrothermal fluids suggests a long reaction path involving both mafic and ultramafic lithologies. Combined with numerical simulations, our results demonstrate that these hydrothermal fluids could circulate ~ 6 km deeper than the Moho boundary and to much greater depths than those at Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse and Logachev-1 hydrothermal fields on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15062-w

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