Collaborative Research: Geophysical, Geochemical and Geochronological Site Survey of the Ninetyeast Ridge - Testing Hotspot Hypotheses

ppi已经提议在印度洋（Chagos-Laccadive和Ninetyeast脊）和大西洋（Walvis脊）的热点地区进行IODP钻探探险，以补充太平洋夏威夷-皇帝链（ODP Leg 197）的古地磁结果。这些钻井巡航将为重新检查这些海山链的热点模型提供数据，并测试它们是否相对于自转轴或地幔参考框架是固定的。为了为拟议的钻探计划收集现场调查数据，并测试Ninetyeast Ridge的热点假设，PIs建议收集和分析地球物理数据（测深，磁和地震），并从5000公里长的山脊沿线的9个地点进行取样。拟议的项目基于46天的巡航，将在5个地点收集多波束测深、磁和地震数据，并在这些地点和其他4个地点进行疏浚。这项研究既是一项现场调查（即，它提供了钻探所需的数据），也是一个独立的项目，以检验尼尼特酵母岭的热点假设，这是地球上主要的热点轨道之一。本研究涉及研究生和本科生，涉及国际合作，涉及热点的固定性，具有重大的现实意义。

The PIs have proposed IODP drilling expeditions to hotspot traces in the Indian Ocean (Chagos-Laccadive and Ninetyeast ridges) and Atlantic (Walvis Ridge) to complement paleomagnetic results from the Hawaiian-Emperor chain in the Pacific (ODP Leg 197). These drilling cruises will provide data for re-examining hotspot models for these seamount chains as well as testing whether or not they are fixed relative to the spin axis or mantle reference frames. To collect site survey data for the proposed drilling program and to test the hotspot hypothesis for Ninetyeast Ridge, the PIs propose the collection and analysis of geophysical data (bathymetry, magnetic and seismic) and dredge samples from nine sites along the 5000-km long ridge. The proposed project is based upon a 46-day cruise that will collect multibeam bathymetry, magnetic, and seismic data at 5 sites as well as dredges at these sites and 4 others. The study is both a site survey (i.e., it provides the required data to prepare for drilling) as well as a stand-alone project to examine the hotspot hypothesis for Ninetyeast Ridge, which is one of the Earths primary hotspot tracks. The study involves graduate and undergraduate students, involves international collaboration, and bears on the fixity of hotspots, of great current interest.