Building ocean crust: Quantitative analyses of submarine lava channel formation and laboratory simulations

摘要(0425073)-Gregg海底熔岩通道是熔岩运输的重要机制，特别是在大洋中脊，它们在将熔岩从脊轴分配出去的过程中发挥着重要作用。然而，还没有人观测到活跃的海底熔岩通道，因此它的形成、演化和熔岩输送的确切性质尚不清楚。这项研究将对东太平洋海平面北纬9度-10度之间、南太平洋海平面17度-19度S、普纳岭(基拉韦厄火山东裂谷带的海底延伸)和胡安德富卡海脊的海底熔岩通道进行详细研究。两台相机的数据，DSL-120千赫图像和潜水视频(来自载人潜水器和遥控潜水器)将用于识别这些地点的熔岩通道，测量通道深度和长度，并制作这些通道表面纹理的详细地图。这些图像和地图将与实验室实验中使用聚乙二醇蜡和冷蔗糖溶液生成的图像和地图进行比较，以模拟熔岩通道侵位过程以及流速和地形等参数如何改变通道形态。这项工作对大洋地壳中地震层2A的形成和提高我们对海底喷发速率、频率和持续时间的认识具有重要意义。更广泛的影响包括对博士生和本科生的教育和培训，对女性PI的支持，以及利用以前由NSF资助的邮轮的档案图像。

Abstract (0425073) - GreggSubmarine lava channels are a vital mechanism for lava transport, particularly at mid-ocean ridges where they play an important role in distributing lava away from the ridge axis. However, no one has ever observed an active submarine lava channel, so that its formation, evolution and precise nature of lava delivery are unknown. This research will carry out a detailed study of submarine lava channels at the northern East Pacific Rise (EPR) between 9degrees - 10degreesN, the southern EPR between 17degrees - 19degrees S, the Puna Ridge (the submarine extension of Kilauea volcano's East Rift Zone) and the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Tow-camera data, DSL-120 kHz imagery and dive videos (from manned submersibles and remotely operated vehicles), will be used to identify lava channels from these sites, measure channel depths and lengths and create detailed maps of the surface textures of these channels. These images and maps will be compared to those generated in laboratory experiments using polyethylene glycol wax and cold sucrose solutions to simulate lava channel emplacement processes and how parameters such as flow rate and topography change channel morphology. This work has implications for the generation of seismic layer 2A in ocean crust and improving our understanding of seafloor eruption rates, frequencies, and durations. Broader impacts include the education and training of a PhD student and undergraduate, support of a female PI and utilization of archived images from previous NSF-funded cruises.