The Kinematic Evolution of the Galapagos Triple Junction

来自伍兹霍尔海洋研究所的研究人员正在分析最近在加拉帕戈斯三重连接点收集的多波束测深数据。总体目标是了解：1）与东太平洋隆起附近的大型传播Cocos-Nazca裂谷相关的应力是否控制了其北部和南部瞬时裂谷的位置和稳定性; 2）大约100万年前有利于形成加拉帕戈斯微板块的条件。研究小组将：1）汇编所有现有的原始多波束数据，并将其与最近收集的原始数据相结合; 2）分析在加拉帕戈斯微板块形成之前，科科斯-纳斯卡裂谷南部的地形模式，以评估裂纹相互作用模型的适用性; 3）破译对迪茨裂谷（Dietz Deep Rift）形成的控制，这是东太平洋隆起附近一座大型火山的几乎同时形成，以及加拉帕戈斯微板块的建立; 4）了解微板块内的地形模式。洋脊-洋脊-洋脊海洋三联点的海底地形表明，在这种情况下，主要的岩石圈板块正在内部变形。观测到的变形还没有得到很好的理解，但可以提供重要的信息，如何岩石圈板块覆盖地球？人的表面对压力有反应。 最近调查的加拉帕戈斯三重连接区，提供了一个海洋三重连接点的无与伦比的观点，并提出了解决几个悬而未决的问题的机会，岩石圈应力的反应，在这种设置的主要板块满足和他们的边界正在迅速变化。该项目致力于解决主要岩石圈板块在应力作用下如何变形以及板块边界如何发展的突出大规模问题。对加拉帕戈斯三重连接区的研究也可能提供对岩浆在板块下方上升和在表面喷发如何改变岩石圈应力的深入了解。此外，该区域加拉帕戈斯微板块的形成和生长对大洋中脊的动力学具有重要意义。

Researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are analyzing of multibeam bathymetry data that were recently collected at the Galapagos triple junction. The overarching goals are to understand: 1) whether the stresses associated with the large propagating Cocos-Nazca Rift near the East Pacific Rise controls the location and stability of transient rifting to its north and south; 2) the conditions that favored the formation of the Galapagos microplate about 1 million years ago. The research team will: 1) compile all existing raw multibeam data and integrate them with the recently collected raw data; 2) analyze topographic patterns south of the Cocos-Nazca Rift, before the initiation of the Galapagos microplate, to assess the applicability of the crack interaction model; 3) decipher the controls on the initiation of Dietz Deep Rift, the nearly concurrent formation of a large volcano near the East Pacific Rise, and the establishment of the Galapagos microplate; 4) understand topographic patterns within the microplate.A ridge-ridge-ridge oceanic triple junction is where three mid-ocean spreading centers meet. Seafloor topography at ridge-ridge-ridge oceanic triple junctions indicates that the major lithosphere plates in this setting are deforming internally. The observed deformation is not well understood, but can provide important information on how the lithosphere plates that cover Earth?s surface respond to stresses. The recently surveyed Galapagos triple junction region, provides an unparalleled view of an oceanic triple junction, and presents the opportunity to address several outstanding questions about the response of the lithosphere to stresses in this setting where the major plates meet and their boundaries are rapidly changing. This project addresses the outstanding large-scale problem of how major lithospheric plates deform under stress and how plate boundaries develop. The study of the Galapagos triple junction region may also provide insight into how magma rising beneath the plates and erupting on the surface might change the lithospheric stresses. In addition, the initiation and growth of the Galapagos microplate at this region has important implications for the dynamics of mid-ocean ridges.