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Off-axis volcanism at the East Pacific Rise detected by uranium-series dating of basalts

Nature volume 367, pages 157–159 (1994)Cite this article

Abstract

RECENT detailed surveys of the East Pacific Rise have revealed the complexity of the volcanic and magmatic processes occurring along and across fast-spreading ocean ridge crests1–7. In parallel with geological and geochemical investigations, it is now possible to investigate the temporal and spatial pattern of volcanism at ocean ridges by dating young basalts using mass spectrometric uranium-series disequilibria methods8–11. Here we use 238U-230Th and235U-231Pa ages for basalts to quantify the spatial extent of young volcanism and crustal accretion at 9°31′ N on the East Pacific Rise. Most of the ages are younger than would be expected based on off-axis distance and spreading rate. We infer from these anomalously young ages that most of the dated basalts on the crestal plateau were erupted 0.5–2 km outside the axial summit caldera, with some volcanism occurring as far as 4 km off-axis. Melts erupted outside the axial summit caldera can have crustal residence times and magmatic supply systems that differ from those of axial lavas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS K484, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, USA

    Steven J. Goldstein

  2. Department of Geology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA

    Michael R. Perfit

  3. School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822, USA

    Rodey Batiza

  4. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York, 10964, USA

    Daniel J. Fornari

  5. Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS J514, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, USA

    Michael T. Murrell

  6. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 02543, USA

    Daniel J. Fornari

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  1. Steven J. Goldstein
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Goldstein, S., Perfit, M., Batiza, R. et al. Off-axis volcanism at the East Pacific Rise detected by uranium-series dating of basalts. Nature 367, 157–159 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/367157a0

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