Stress generation at ridge axes by plate divergence and magma rise

Abstract A model is explored for the rifting process particularly at the divergent plate boundary in Iceland, based on direct observations of the Krafla rifting episode 1975–1984. Magma accumulates near the axial crust-mantle transition as the plates diverge from each other and compression on the boundary decreases. Two-dimensional finite-element modelling is applied to investigate how divergence and buoyant rise of magma interact in triggering rifting. Both processes are found to be important, but long intervals between rifting episodes require the time-average deviatoric stress to be compressible normal to the axis.

Students' field research extends knowledge of origin of a UNESCO World Heritage site in Germany

In 1992, as part of field-based course work with the Earth science department of the Universitat Minz, students began to investigate the structures of oil shale basins located in the Sprendlinger Horst, a horst-type block forming the northeastern shoulder of the Tertiary Upper Rhine Graben in southwestern Germany (figure 1). The Sprendlinger Horst is mainly built up by Hercynian or pre-Hercynian basement, Permian sediments, and volcanic rocks, as well as by several Tertiary alkali basalts and rare Cretaceous trachytes. In 1992, it was unknown whether the oil shale basins were of tectonic, volcanic, or even of impact origin.

Mantle Plumes

On the Rifting Dynamics of Plate Divergence and Magma Accumulation at Oceanic Ridge Axes

Rifting dynamics at spreading axes is governed by two processes: the large-scale plate divergence and the local magma accumulation in the crust-mantle transition layer. Both evolve simultaneously. A model is developed particularly for the situation in Iceland where a well studied rifting episode occurred in the Krafla volcanic system 1975–1984. Both the divergence and the buoyant rise of magma create tensile deviatoric stress in the axial region, but while divergence generates an altogether extensional stress field, uprising of buoyant melt produces tension only near the axis but compression of the sides. The buoyant rise is driven by the differential pressure gradient in rock and melt. The…

Potential fields in geodynamics