Frozen magma lenses below the oceanic crust

Mladen R. Nedimović (), Suzanne M. Carbotte, Alistair J. Harding, Robert S. Detrick, J. Pablo Canales, John B. Diebold, Graham M. Kent, Michael Tischer and Jeffrey M. Babcock
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Mladen R. Nedimović: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Suzanne M. Carbotte: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Alistair J. Harding: University of California, San Diego
Robert S. Detrick: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
J. Pablo Canales: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
John B. Diebold: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Graham M. Kent: University of California, San Diego
Michael Tischer: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Jeffrey M. Babcock: University of California, San Diego

Nature, 2005, vol. 436, issue 7054, 1149-1152

Abstract: Abstract The Earth's oceanic crust crystallizes from magmatic systems generated at mid-ocean ridges. Whereas a single magma body residing within the mid-crust is thought to be responsible for the generation of the upper oceanic crust, it remains unclear if the lower crust is formed from the same magma body, or if it mainly crystallizes from magma lenses located at the base of the crust1,2,3. Thermal modelling4,5,6, tomography7, compliance8 and wide-angle seismic studies9, supported by geological evidence3,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18, suggest the presence of gabbroic-melt accumulations within the Moho transition zone in the vicinity of fast- to intermediate-spreading centres. Until now, however, no reflection images have been obtained of such a structure within the Moho transition zone. Here we show images of groups of Moho transition zone reflection events that resulted from the analysis of ∼1,500 km of multichannel seismic data collected across the intermediate-spreading-rate19 Juan de Fuca ridge. From our observations we suggest that gabbro lenses and melt accumulations embedded within dunite or residual mantle peridotite are the most probable cause for the observed reflectivity, thus providing support for the hypothesis that the crust is generated from multiple magma bodies.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1038/nature03944

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