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Temperature evolution of an oceanic fracture zone. Xiaopeng Tong & Janine Bühler. Outline. Background Lithosphere flexure at Fracture zone Mathematical derivation Temperature & bathymetry Comparison between the model and the data Conclusion. Background. Lithosphere flexure at FZ.
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Temperature evolution of an oceanic fracture zone Xiaopeng Tong & Janine Bühler
Outline • Background • Lithosphere flexure at Fracture zone • Mathematical derivation • Temperature & bathymetry • Comparison between the model and the data • Conclusion
Lithosphere flexure at FZ • Phenomenon • Flexure near the FZ in the oceanic litho • Reason • Permanence of the initial bathymetric step across the FZ • Difference subsidence rate on either side of the FZ
Modeling • Calculate the flexure • Elastic plate model • Thickness He(T) • Consistent with the observed data!
But… • They ignore the thermal conduction completely !
Problem Ridge Transform fault FZ 0 t t0 x Ridge
Mathematical derivation 1 T -- temperature Tm -- temperature of the mantle x -- distance vertical to FZ z -- depth t0 -- the age offset t -- age of the older seafloor t-t0 -- age of the younger one Green function method (Carslaw and Jaeger , 1959)
Mathematical derivation 3 substitution First part of the integration
Mathematical derivation 4 Second part of the integration By Magic math
Topography of the FZ 1 Ridge Local isostatic balance Transform fault FZ 0 x Ridge
Topography of the FZ 3 Final solution of the topography
Conclusions • Topography calculations solely based on local isostatic compensation can not explain the observed data • We need to consider elastic flexure of the lithosphere (ie coupled fracture zones, fixed topographic step) • New studies use dynamic models that allow the fault zones to freely slip