Microearthquake reveals the lithospheric structure at mid-ocean ridges and oceanic transform faults

Zhiteng YU; Jiabiao LI; Weiwei DING

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Microearthquake reveals the lithospheric structure at mid-ocean ridges and oceanic transform faults

Deep Sea | Updated：2024-10-14

- Microearthquake reveals the lithospheric structure at mid-ocean ridges and oceanic transform faults
- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Vol. 42, Issue 3, Pages: 697-700(2024)
- Affiliations：
  
  Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences & Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou 310012, China
- Author bio：
  
  jbli@sio.org.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：
  CLC：
- Received：20 November 2023，
  
  Published：01 May 2024
- Accepted：
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YU Zhiteng,LI Jiabiao,DING Weiwei.Perspective Microearthquake reveals the lithospheric structure at mid-ocean ridges and oceanic transform faults[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2024,42(03):697-700.
DOI：

YU Zhiteng,LI Jiabiao,DING Weiwei.Perspective Microearthquake reveals the lithospheric structure at mid-ocean ridges and oceanic transform faults[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2024,42(03):697-700. DOI：

摘要

Abstract

Mid-ocean ridge and oceanic transforms are among the most prominent features on the seafloor surface and are crucial for understanding seafloor spreading and plate tectonic dynamics

but the deep structure of the oceanic lithosphere remains poorly understood. The large number of microearthquakes occurring along ridges and transforms provide valuable information for gaining an in-depth view of the underlying detailed seismic structures

contributing to understanding geodynamic processes within the oceanic lithosphere. Previous studies have indicated that the maximum depth of microseismicity is controlled by the 600-℃ isotherm. However

this perspective is being challenged due to increasing observations of deep earthquakes that far exceed this suggested isotherm along mid-ocean ridges and oceanic transform faults. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain these deep events

and we suggest that local geodynamic processes (e.g.

magma supply

mylonite shear zone

long-lived faults

hydrothermal vents

etc.) likely play a more important role than previously thought.

关键词

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references

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