Alteration of the Oceanic Lithosphere and Implications for Seafloor Processes

Research Article| June 01, 2010 Alteration of the Oceanic Lithosphere and Implications for Seafloor Processes Wolfgang Bach; Wolfgang Bach 1Geoscience Department, University of Bremen 28359 Bremen, Germany E-mail: wbach@uni-bremen.de Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gretchen L. Früh-Green Gretchen L. Früh-Green 2Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, ETH Zürich CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland E-mail: frueh-green@erdw.ethz.ch Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Wolfgang Bach 1Geoscience Department, University of Bremen 28359 Bremen, Germany E-mail: wbach@uni-bremen.de Gretchen L. Früh-Green 2Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, ETH Zürich CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland E-mail: frueh-green@erdw.ethz.ch Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1811-5217 Print ISSN: 1811-5209 © 2010 by the Mineralogical Society of America Elements (2010) 6 (3): 173–178. https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.6.3.173 Article history First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Wolfgang Bach, Gretchen L. Früh-Green; Alteration of the Oceanic Lithosphere and Implications for Seafloor Processes. Elements 2010;; 6 (3): 173–178. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.6.3.173 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyElements Search Advanced Search Abstract Three-quarters of global magmatism and one-quarter of global heat loss are associated with tectonomagmatic and hydrothermal processes governing oceanic lithosphere accretion and the aging of the lithosphere from ridge to trench. Hydrothermal reactions between seawater and oceanic lithosphere under zeolite to granulite facies conditions are linked with magmatic and deformation processes, but they differ in nature depending on spreading rates. Fast-spreading ridges with frequent eruptions have telescoped metamorphic gradients and short-lived hydrothermal systems. Less magmatically robust, slow-spreading ridges are commonly cut by normal faults that expose ultramafic rocks on the seafloor and sustain long-lived hydrothermal systems with distinct vent fauna and fluid compositions. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.