Article Abstract:
A comparison of model predictions of the flow of magma and solid mantle beneath mid-ocean ridges with the chemistry of well located and closely sampled basalts from across the ridge-crest of the rapidly spreading East Pacific Rise at 12 degrees N indicates that the off-axis melts at 12 degrees N seem to be more depleted in incompatible trace elements than the axial melts across a range of elements. This is consistent with convergent melt flow. These findings probably exclude substantial convergent solid flow within the partially molten region.
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Article Abstract:
Geochemical analysis of basalt from the East Pacific Rise show the spatial results of change in the sea floor's make-up. These spatial changes indicate the degree of temporal variability in basaltic chemistry, which in turn indicates that the length scale of petrological segmentation can fluctuate from 15 to more than 40 kilometers along one part of the ridge. Patterns in the sea floor basalts' composition also indicate the geological history of the ocean ridge much more clearly than do sea-floor spreading magnetic anomalies.
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Article Abstract:
Scientists can model the Earth's mantle melting better and apply the models to physical and chemical findings via the availability of improved experimental data, physical models and observations. Results show that erupted magmas are pooled from various pressures and extents of melting that range from very-low-degree melts at great depth to higher-degree melts that occur closer to the Earth's surface. A discussion of the phenomenon is presented.
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