Editor's Summary

2 July 2009

Crust accretion

The style of accretion of the lower oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges is disputed, with some models proposing that the lower oceanic crust is accreted from melt sills intruded at multiple levels within the lower crust. Until now, however, seismic images of molten sills within the lower crust have been elusive. Canales et al. report deep crustal seismic reflections off the southern Juan de Fuca Ridge, which they interpret as originating from a molten sill currently forming within the lower oceanic crust.

Letter: Seismic reflection images of a near-axis melt sill within the lower crust at the Juan de Fuca ridge

J. Pablo Canales, Mladen R. Nedimovi, Graham M. Kent, Suzanne M. Carbotte & Robert S. Detrick

doi:10.1038/nature08095

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