Fine-scale heat flow, shallow heat sources, and decoupled circulation systems at two sea-floor hydrothermal sites, Middle Valley, northern Juan de Fuca Ridge

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1998 · Geology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<1115:FSHFSH>2.3.CO;2· OSTI ID:316286

Stein, J S; Fisher, A T ^[1]; Langseth, M; Jin, W; Iturrino, G ^[2]; Davis, E ^[3]

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1. Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)
2. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY (United States)
3. Geological Survey of Canada, Sidney, British Columbia (Canada). Pacific Geoscience Centre

Fine-scale heat-flow patterns at two areas of active venting in Middle Valley, a sedimented rift on the northern Juan de Fuca Ridge, provide thermal evidence of shallow hydrothermal reservoirs beneath the vent fields. The extreme variability of heat flow is explained by conductive heating immediately adjacent to vents and shallow circulation within sediments above the reservoir. This secondary circulation is hydrologically separated from the deeper system feeding the vents by a shallow conductive lid within the sediments. A similar separation of shallow and deep circulation may also occur at sediment-free ridge-crest hydrothermal environments.

• OSTI ID: 316286
• Journal Information: Geology, Journal Name: Geology Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 26; ISSN 0091-7613; ISSN GLGYBA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
HEAT FLUX
HYDROLOGY
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
PACIFIC OCEAN
SEDIMENTS
TEMPERATURE SURVEYS