Iron Readings Hint That Ocean Depth Influences Seabed Volcanism
Water pressure on mid-ocean ridges may affect magma production kilometers beneath the ocean floor.
Researchers draw up sediment cores from seabed at Juan de Fuca Ridge to analyze iron and copper deposits.
Jennifer Middleton and her fellow researchers dropped hollow pipes topped with weights into the seabed at the Juan de Fuca Ridge. They drew up sediment cores to analyze iron and copper deposits at the site. Credit: David Ferguson
By Nicoletta Lanese 18 January 2018
Scientists long doubted that changes in sea level could affect volcanoes erupting deep in the sea along mid-ocean ridges. Recently, however, measurements of iron that bubbled up as magma, released long ago from hydrothermal vents along those ridges, suggest a possible connection.
https://eos.org/articles/iron-readings-hint-that-ocean-depth-influences-seabed-volcanism
