Record Details
Effects of the legacy of axial cooling on partitioning of hydrothermal heat extraction from oceanic lithosphere
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Effects of the legacy of axial cooling on partitioning of hydrothermal heat extraction from oceanic lithosphere |
| Names |
Spinelli, G. A.
(creator) Harris, R. N. (creator) |
| Date Issued | 2011-09-10 (iso8601) |
| Note | This is the publisher's version of record. The original submission is copyrighted by American Geophysical Union and can be found here: http://www.agu.org/ |
| Abstract | Water circulating through oceanic lithosphere extracts large quantities of heat, affecting magmatic, tectonic, geochemical, and microbial processes. Numerous estimates for the amount of hydrothermal heat extraction have been made on the basis of the difference between the predicted and observed heat flux across the seafloor. These methods have assumed a dynamic steady state thermal system. We show that this assumption is not warranted and leads to an incorrect partitioning of hydrothermal circulation between ridge axes and flanks. To more accurately estimate hydrothermal heat loss on ridge axes and flanks, we consider the spatial and temporal extent and vigor of axial hydrothermal circulation in calculating hydrothermal heat extraction. Axial fluid circulation perturbs the thermal state of oceanic lithosphere for ~5 Ma after that circulation ceases, reducing the hydrothermal heat extraction on ridge flanks. We find ~30% of hydrothermal heat extracted on axis, ~10% extracted near axis (from end of axial hydrothermal circulation to 1 Ma), and ~60% extracted from lithosphere >1 Ma. |
| Genre | Article |
| Identifier | Spinelli, G. A., and R. N. Harris (2011), Effects of the legacy of axial cooling on partitioning of hydrothermal heat extraction from oceanic lithosphere, Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, B09102, doi:10.1029/2011JB008248. |
