Global variation of seismic energy release with oceanic lithosphere age

Abstract Variations in Mid Ocean Ridge seismicity with age provide a new tool to understand the thermal evolution of the oceanic lithosphere. The sum of seismic energy released by earthquakes during a time, and for an area, is proportional to its lithospheric age. Asthenospheric temperatures emerge...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Nicolás Pinzón, Carlos A. Vargas
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:
R
Q
Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/cf6b7a441ec94f8ea673a2b9e2745e58
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
Descripción
Sumario:Abstract Variations in Mid Ocean Ridge seismicity with age provide a new tool to understand the thermal evolution of the oceanic lithosphere. The sum of seismic energy released by earthquakes during a time, and for an area, is proportional to its lithospheric age. Asthenospheric temperatures emerge on ridge centers with new crust resulting in high seismic activity; thus, the energy released sum is highest on the young lithosphere and decreases with age. We propose a general model that relates the systematic variation of seismic energy released with the lithospheric age. Our analysis evaluates the main physical factors involved in the changes of energy released sum with the oceanic lithosphere age in MOR systems of different spreading rates. These observations are substantiated based on three cross-sections of the East Pacific Rise, six sections in the Mid Atlantic Ridge, and three profiles in the Central Indian Ridge. Our global model provides an additional tool for understanding tectonic processes, including the effects of seismicity and mid-plate volcanism, and a better understanding of the thermal evolution for the young oceanic lithosphere.