Abstract
THE TAG active mound1–13, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 26° N, is one of the largest known, actively forming volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits. Construction of such a deposit requires that the upflow of hydrothermal fluids be localized at this site over tens of thousands of years, but the cause of this localization has been controversial. Two popular hypotheses propose that it results from young volcanism immediately adjacent to the mound6, or from the intersection of a 'transfer fault', orthogonally crossing the rift-valley floor, with ridge-parallel faults8. Here we present high-resolution sonar and photographic data which provide no evidence for young eruptions nearby, or for transverse, through-going faults intersecting the TAG mound. Instead, our data suggest that the localization of hydrothermal activity at the TAG mound is strongly controlled by permeable conduits at the intersection of an actively developing ridge-parallel fissure/fault complex with a newly recognized but older, oblique fault system. These observations may aid the interpretation of similar structures in ancient sea-floor sulphide deposits, where the tectonic disruption caused by emplacement on land has obscured the original geometry.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rona, P. A., Klinkhammer, G., Nelsen, T. A., Trefry, J. H. & Elderfield, H. Nature 321, 33–37 (1986).
Eberhart, G. L., Rona, P. A. & Honnorez, J. Mar. geophys. Res. 10, 233–259 (1988).
Campbell, A. C. et al. Nature 335, 514–519 (1988).
Thompson, G., Humphris, S. E., Schroeder, B., Sulanowska, M. & Rona, P. A. Can. Mineralogist 26, 697–711 (1988).
Lisitsyn, A. P., Bogdanov, Y. A., Zonenshayn, L. P., Kuz'min, M. I. & Sagalevich, A. M. Int. Geol. Rev. 31, 1183–1198 (1989).
Zonenshain, L. P., Kuzmin, M. I., Lisitsin, A. P., Bogdanov, Y. A. & Baranov, B. V. Tectonophysics 159, 1–23 (1989).
Lalou, C et al. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 97, 113–128 (1990).
Karson, J. A. & Rona, P. A. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 102, 1635–1645 (1990).
Tivey, M. A., Rona, P. A. & Schouten, H. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 115, 101–115 (1993).
Rona, P. A. et al. Econ. Geol. 18, 1989–2017 (1993).
Tivey, M. K., Humphris, S. E., Thompson, G., Hannington, M. D. & Rona, P. A. J. geophys. Res. 100, 12527–12555 (1995).
Lalou, C. et al. J. geophys. Res. 98, 9705–9713 (1993).
Humphris, S. E. et al. Nature 377, 713–716 (1995).
Ballard, R. D., Yoerger, D. R., Stewart, W. K. & Bowen, A. in Proc. IEEE Oceans Conf. 71–75 (IEEE, 1991).
Kleinrock, M. C. in CRC Handbook of Geophysical Exploration at Sea (ed. Geyer, R.) 35–86 (CRC, Boca Raton, 1992).
Stewart, W. K., Chu, D., Malik, S., Lerner, S. & Singh, H. IEEE J. Oceanic Engng. 19, 599–610 (1994).
Shaw, P. A., Kleinrock, M. C. & Humphris, S. E. (abstr.) Eos 75, 649 (1994).
Smith, D. K. & Cann, J. R. J. geophys. Res. 365, 707–715 (1993).
Rudnicki, M. D. & Elderfield, H. J. Volcan. geotherm. Res. 50, 161–172 (1992).
Scott, M. R., Scott, R. B., Rona, P. A., Butler, L. W. & Nalwalk, A. J. Geophys. Res. Lett. 1, 355–358 (1974).
Temple, D. G., Scott, R. B. & Rona, P. A. J. geophys. Res. 84, 7453–7466 (1979).
Thompson, G., Mottl, M. J. & Rona, P. A. Chem. Geol. 49, 243–257 (1985).
Macdonald, K. C. et al. Nature 335, 217–225 (1988).
Purdy, G. M., Sempere, J.-C., Schouten, H., Dubois, D. L. & Goldsmith, R. Mar. geophys. Res. 12, 247–252 (1990).
Rona, P. A. et al. J. geophys. Res. 89, 11365–1377 (1984).
Kleinrock, M. C. & Humphris, S. E. Geophys. Res. Lett. (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kleinrock, M., Humphris, S. Structural control on sea-floor hydrothermal activity at the TAG active mound. Nature 382, 149–153 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/382149a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/382149a0
This article is cited by
-
Shear wave splitting of the 2018 Lombok earthquake aftershock area, Indonesia
Geoscience Letters (2023)
-
Control of the stress field on shallow seafloor hydrothermal paths: A case study of the TAG hydrothermal field
Acta Oceanologica Sinica (2022)
-
Mineral-scale variation in the trace metal and sulfur isotope composition of pyrite: implications for metal and sulfur sources in mafic VMS deposits
Mineralium Deposita (2022)
-
Discovery of abundant hydrothermal venting on the ultraslow-spreading Gakkel ridge in the Arctic Ocean
Nature (2003)
-
Morpho-tectonic study on late-stage spreading of the Eastern Subbasin of South China Sea
Science in China Series D: Earth Sciences (2002)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.