Plate boundary reorganization at a large-offset, rapidly propagating rift
Hey, R.N., Johnson, P.D., Martinez, F., Korenaga, J., Somers, M.L., Huggett, Q.J., Le Bas, T.P., Rusby, R.I. and Naar, D.F. (1995) Plate boundary reorganization at a large-offset, rapidly propagating rift. Nature, 378, (6553), 167-170. (doi:10.1038/378167a0).
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Description/Abstract
THE existence of rapidly spinning microplates along the southern East Pacific Rise has been documented by geophysical swath-mapping surveys1–6, and their evolution has been successfully described by an edge-driven kinematic model7. But the mechanism by which such microplates originate remains unknown. Proposed mechanisms1–10 have generally involved rift propagation11, possibly driven by hotspots or changes in direction of sea-floor spreading. Here we present geophysical data collected over the Earth's fastest spreading centre, the Pacific–Nazca ridge between the Easter and Juan Fernandez microplates (Fig. 1), which reveal a large-offset propagating rift presently reorganizing the plate boundary geometry. A recent episode of rapid 'duelling' propagation of the historically failing spreading centre in this system has created a 120 120 km overlap zone between dual active spreading centres, which may be the initial stage of formation of a new microplate.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| ISSNs: | 0028-0836 (print) |
| Related URLs: | |
| Subjects: | Q Science > QE Geology G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GC Oceanography |
| Divisions: | University Structure - Pre August 2011 > National Oceanography Centre (NERC) |
| Item ID: | 50829 |
| Date Deposited: | 02 Apr 2008 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Jun 2011 12:04 |
| Contributors: | Hey, R.N. (Author) Johnson, P.D. (Author) Martinez, F. (Author) Korenaga, J. (Author) Somers, M.L. (Author) Huggett, Q.J. (Author) Le Bas, T.P. (Author) Rusby, R.I. (Author) Naar, D.F. (Author) |
| Date: | 9 November 1995 |
| Status: | Published |
| URI: | http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/50829 |
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