Deep mantle earthquakes linked to CO2 degassing at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Abstract Volatiles (CO2, H2O) play a fundamental role in mantle melting beneath ocean spreading centers, but what role they play during the melt migration remains unknown. Using seismological data recorded by ocean-bottom seismometers, here we report the presence of deep earthquakes at 10–20 km dept...

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Main Authors: Zhiteng Yu, Satish C. Singh, Cédric Hamelin, Léa Grenet, Marcia Maia, Anne Briais, Lorenzo Petracchini, Daniele Brunelli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55792-9
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author Zhiteng Yu
Satish C. Singh
Cédric Hamelin
Léa Grenet
Marcia Maia
Anne Briais
Lorenzo Petracchini
Daniele Brunelli
author_facet Zhiteng Yu
Satish C. Singh
Cédric Hamelin
Léa Grenet
Marcia Maia
Anne Briais
Lorenzo Petracchini
Daniele Brunelli
author_sort Zhiteng Yu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Volatiles (CO2, H2O) play a fundamental role in mantle melting beneath ocean spreading centers, but what role they play during the melt migration remains unknown. Using seismological data recorded by ocean-bottom seismometers, here we report the presence of deep earthquakes at 10–20 km depth in the mantle along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis, much below the brittle-ductile boundary. Syntheses of regional basaltic rock samples and their geochemical analyses indicate the presence of an abnormally high quantity of CO2 (~0.4–3.0 wt%) in the primary melts. As the degassing of a high concentration of dissolved CO2 produces volume change, we suggest that deep earthquakes in the mantle result from the degassing of CO2. The large concentration of CO2 in the primitive melt will influence the presence of melt beneath the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary at sub-solidus temperatures.
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issn 2041-1723
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-f55cd3178edc45dba240d7d7ee50cef72025-02-02T12:32:23ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111110.1038/s41467-024-55792-9Deep mantle earthquakes linked to CO2 degassing at the Mid-Atlantic RidgeZhiteng Yu0Satish C. Singh1Cédric Hamelin2Léa Grenet3Marcia Maia4Anne Briais5Lorenzo Petracchini6Daniele Brunelli7Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural ResourcesUniversité Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSIndependant scholar, 7 Sondre SkogveienGeo-Ocean UMR6538, CNRS-Ifremer-UBO-UBSGeo-Ocean UMR6538, CNRS-Ifremer-UBO-UBSGeo-Ocean UMR6538, CNRS-Ifremer-UBO-UBSCnr-Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e GeoingegneriaCnr-Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e GeoingegneriaAbstract Volatiles (CO2, H2O) play a fundamental role in mantle melting beneath ocean spreading centers, but what role they play during the melt migration remains unknown. Using seismological data recorded by ocean-bottom seismometers, here we report the presence of deep earthquakes at 10–20 km depth in the mantle along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis, much below the brittle-ductile boundary. Syntheses of regional basaltic rock samples and their geochemical analyses indicate the presence of an abnormally high quantity of CO2 (~0.4–3.0 wt%) in the primary melts. As the degassing of a high concentration of dissolved CO2 produces volume change, we suggest that deep earthquakes in the mantle result from the degassing of CO2. The large concentration of CO2 in the primitive melt will influence the presence of melt beneath the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary at sub-solidus temperatures.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55792-9
spellingShingle Zhiteng Yu
Satish C. Singh
Cédric Hamelin
Léa Grenet
Marcia Maia
Anne Briais
Lorenzo Petracchini
Daniele Brunelli
Deep mantle earthquakes linked to CO2 degassing at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Nature Communications
title Deep mantle earthquakes linked to CO2 degassing at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
title_full Deep mantle earthquakes linked to CO2 degassing at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
title_fullStr Deep mantle earthquakes linked to CO2 degassing at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
title_full_unstemmed Deep mantle earthquakes linked to CO2 degassing at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
title_short Deep mantle earthquakes linked to CO2 degassing at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
title_sort deep mantle earthquakes linked to co2 degassing at the mid atlantic ridge
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55792-9
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