A Fluid Pulse on the Hikurangi Subduction Margin: Evidence From a Heat Flux Transect Across the Upper Limit of Gas Hydrate Stability: Fluid Pulse on the Hikurangi Margin

A transect of seafloor heat probe measurements on the Hikurangi Margin shows a significant increase of thermal gradients upslope of the updip limit of gas hydrate stability at the seafloor. We interpret these anomalously high thermal gradients as evidence for a fluid pulse leading to advective heat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2017-12, Vol.44 (24)
Main Authors: Pecher, I. A., Villinger, H., Kaul, N., Crutchley, G. J., Mountjoy, J. J., Huhn, K., Kukowski, N., Henrys, S. A., Rose, P. S., Coffin, R. B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Geology
GEOSCIENCES
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A transect of seafloor heat probe measurements on the Hikurangi Margin shows a significant increase of thermal gradients upslope of the updip limit of gas hydrate stability at the seafloor. We interpret these anomalously high thermal gradients as evidence for a fluid pulse leading to advective heat flux, while endothermic cooling from gas hydrate dissociation depresses temperatures in the hydrate stability field. Previous studies predict a seamount on the subducting Pacific Plate to cause significant overpressure beneath our study area, which may be the source of the fluid pulse. Double-bottom simulating reflections are present in our study area and likely caused by uplift based on gas hydrate phase boundary considerations, although we cannot exclude a thermogenic origin. We suggest that uplift may be associated with the leading edge of the subducting seamount. Our results provide further evidence for the transient nature of fluid expulsion in subduction zones.
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007