Pang, Fengping;
Liao, Jie;
Ballmer, Maxim D;
Li, Lun;
(2023)
Plume-ridge interactions: ridgeward versus plate-drag plume flow.
Solid Earth
, 14
(3)
pp. 353-368.
10.5194/se-14-353-2023.
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Abstract
The analysis of mid-ocean ridges and hotspots that are sourced by deep-rooted mantle plumes allows us to get a glimpse of mantle structure and dynamics. Dynamical interaction between ridge and plume processes have been widely proposed and studied, particularly in terms of ridgeward plume flow. However, the effects of plate drag on plume-lithosphere and plume-ridge interaction remain poorly understood. In particular, the mechanisms that control plume flow towards vs. away from the ridge have not yet been systematically studied. Here, we use 2D thermomechanical numerical models of plume-ridge interaction to systematically explore the effects of (i) ridge-spreading rate, (ii) initial plume head radius and (iii) plume-ridge distance. Our numerical experiments suggest two different geodynamic regimes: (1) plume flow towards the ridge is favored by strong buoyant mantle plumes, slow spreading rates and small plume-ridge distances; (2) plume drag away from the ridge is in turn promoted by fast ridge spreading for small-To-intermediate plumes and large plume-ridge distances. We find that the pressure gradient between the buoyant plume and spreading ridge at first drives ridgeward flow, but eventually the competition between plate drag and the gravitational force of plume flow along the base of the sloping lithosphere controls the fate of plume (spreading towards vs. away from the ridge). Our results highlight that fast-spreading ridges exert strong plate-dragging force, which sheds new light on natural observations of largely absent plume-lithosphere interaction along fast-spreading ridges, such as the East Pacific Rise.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Plume-ridge interactions: ridgeward versus plate-drag plume flow |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.5194/se-14-353-2023 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-353-2023 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Keywords: | Science & Technology, Physical Sciences, Geochemistry & Geophysics, MANTLE PLUMES, MIDOCEAN RIDGES, DYNAMICS, BENEATH, HOTSPOTS, ORIGIN, RIFT |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Earth Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10168451 |
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