seafloor spreading is the process that takes place at mid ocean ridges.
seafloor spreading is the process that takes place at mid ocean ridges.
what is the process that takes place at mid ocean ridges?
seafloor spreading
oceanic crust, which forms the bedrock of abyssal plains, is continuously being created at mid-ocean ridges (a type of divergent boundary) by a process known as decompression melting. plume-related decompression melting of solid mantle is responsible for creating ocean islands like the hawaiian islands, as well as the ocean crust at mid-ocean ridges. this phenomenon is also the most common explanation for flood basalts and oceanic plateaus (two types of large igneous provinces). decompression melting occurs when the upper mantle is partially melted into magma as it moves upwards under mid-ocean ridges. this upwelling magma then cools and solidifies by conduction and convection of heat to form new oceanic crust. accretion occurs as mantle is added to the growing edges of a tectonic plate, usually associated with seafloor spreading. the age of oceanic crust is therefore a function of distance from the mid-ocean ridge. the youngest oceanic crust is at the mid-ocean ridges, and it becomes progressively older, cooler and denser as it migrates outwards from the mid-ocean ridges as part of the process called mantle convection.
abyssal plain
"methanocaldococcus sp." fs406-22 was isolated from deep-sea hydrothermal vent fluid"." hydrothermal vents are located on the ocean floor where plates are moving tectonically apart, for example volcano sites and by mid ocean ridges. these mid ocean ridges provide a large supply of food for aquatic marine animals"." the particular vent that strain fs406-22 was isolated from, is located on the juan de fuca ridge in the pacific ocean near volcanic activity"." mausmi p. mehta and john a. baross isolated strain fs406-22 in september 2004 during the new millennum observatory cruise. the thomas g. thompson vessel made this cruise possible and journeyed off to the axial volcano. a remotely operated vehicle (ropos) sampled vent fluid from marker 113 using a hydrothermal fluid and particle sampler (hfps). marker 113 is a vent located at 1525 meters deep in the southeast corner of the caldera"." this vent was active before the last eruption of axial volcano in january 1998.
methanocaldococcus sp. fs406-22