Mechanical control of oceanic plate boundary geometry
Mechanical control of oceanic plate boundary geometry
We present a global analysis of oceanic plate boundary geometry based on the mechanics of relative plate motion at mid-ocean ridges and transform faults. If the observed geometry formed by the first-order segmentation of oceanic plate boundaries represents a state of mechanical equilibrium, we find the relative strength of spreading ridges, and their bounding transform faults to be fundamental to its organisation. A consideration of power dissipation along adjacent lengths of spreading ridge and transform fault leads to a simple relationship between spreading obliquity and relative strength. Increased spreading rate is found to decrease the strength of spreading segments relative to transform faults. Proximity to an active hotspot reduces the relative strength of spreading ridges.
mid-ocean ridge, transform fault, hotspots, spreading rate
265-270
Tuckwell, George W.
50484a2d-4134-4731-9ac5-82fe0fe745bb
Bull, Jonathan M.
974037fd-544b-458f-98cc-ce8eca89e3c8
Sanderson, David J.
5653bc11-b905-4985-8c16-c655b2170ba9
15 November 1999
Tuckwell, George W.
50484a2d-4134-4731-9ac5-82fe0fe745bb
Bull, Jonathan M.
974037fd-544b-458f-98cc-ce8eca89e3c8
Sanderson, David J.
5653bc11-b905-4985-8c16-c655b2170ba9
Tuckwell, George W., Bull, Jonathan M. and Sanderson, David J.
(1999)
Mechanical control of oceanic plate boundary geometry.
Tectonophysics, 313 (3), .
(doi:10.1016/S0040-1951(99)00206-1).
Abstract
We present a global analysis of oceanic plate boundary geometry based on the mechanics of relative plate motion at mid-ocean ridges and transform faults. If the observed geometry formed by the first-order segmentation of oceanic plate boundaries represents a state of mechanical equilibrium, we find the relative strength of spreading ridges, and their bounding transform faults to be fundamental to its organisation. A consideration of power dissipation along adjacent lengths of spreading ridge and transform fault leads to a simple relationship between spreading obliquity and relative strength. Increased spreading rate is found to decrease the strength of spreading segments relative to transform faults. Proximity to an active hotspot reduces the relative strength of spreading ridges.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: 15 November 1999
Keywords:
mid-ocean ridge, transform fault, hotspots, spreading rate
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 75111
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/75111
ISSN: 0040-1951
PURE UUID: 2208c943-f4c9-438c-aaac-cf619b9245c8
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 11 Mar 2010
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:53
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
George W. Tuckwell
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
