Inferred hydrothermal circulation at EPR (2012)

Inferred hydrothermal circulation at EPR (2012)

Cross-section of the East Pacific Rise axis between 9°49'N and 9°51'N showing relocated microearthquake locations (grey dots) from 2003-2004 [Waldhauser & Tolstoy, 2011] and inferred associated structure of hydrothermal circulation (figure after Tolstoy et al. [2008]). Sites of up-flow and inferred down-flow are high permeability, whereas the central cracking zone is lower permeability [Crone et al., 2011]. The blue shading in the upper crust indicates an inferred thermal gradient based on vent temperature data [Scheirer et al., 2006, Tolstoy et al., 2008]. The temperature gradient may develop over a decade of localized down-flow, leading to the relative cooling of vents closest to the recharge site and warming of vents further away. Red lenses show inferred AMC locations (depth from Kent et al., [1993]), with a possible break implied (yellow zone) based on a gap in the seismicity and a change in diffuse vent chemistry in this area along-axis [Von Damm and Lilley, 2004]. Hydrothermal vents are labeled.
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Year: 2012
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Media Type: Illustration
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Feature: EPR:9N:9_50
Investigator: Maya Tolstoy
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