Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1130/G36359.1
Title (Primary) Strike-slip faults mediate the rise of crustal-derived fluids and mud volcanism in the deep sea
Author Hensen, C.; Scholz, F.; Nuzzo, M.; Valadares, V.; Gràcia, E.; Terrinha, P.; Liebetrau, V.; Kaul, N.; Silva, S.; Martínez-Loriente, S.; Bartolome, R.; Piñero, E.; Magalhães, V.H.; Schmidt, M.; Weise, S.M.; Cunha, M.; Hilario, A.; Perea, H.; Rovelli, L.; Lackschewitz, K.
Source Titel Geology
Year 2015
Department CATHYD
Volume 43
Issue 4
Page From 339
Page To 342
Language englisch
UFZ wide themes RU2;
Abstract We report on newly discovered mud volcanoes located at ∼4500 m water depth ∼90 km west of the deformation front of the accretionary wedge of the Gulf of Cadiz, and thus outside of their typical geotectonic environment. Seismic data suggest that fluid flow is mediated by a >400-km-long strike-slip fault marking the transcurrent plate boundary between Africa and Eurasia. Geochemical data (Cl, B, Sr, 87Sr/86Sr, δ18O, δD) reveal that fluids originate in oceanic crust older than 140 Ma. On their rise to the surface, these fluids receive strong geochemical signals from recrystallization of Upper Jurassic carbonates and clay-mineral dehydration in younger terrigeneous units. At present, reports of mud volcanoes in similar deep-sea settings are rare, but given that the large area of transform-type plate boundaries has been barely investigated, such pathways of fluid discharge may provide an important, yet unappreciated link between the deeply buried oceanic crust and the deep ocean.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=16083
Hensen, C., Scholz, F., Nuzzo, M., Valadares, V., Gràcia, E., Terrinha, P., Liebetrau, V., Kaul, N., Silva, S., Martínez-Loriente, S., Bartolome, R., Piñero, E., Magalhães, V.H., Schmidt, M., Weise, S.M., Cunha, M., Hilario, A., Perea, H., Rovelli, L., Lackschewitz, K. (2015):
Strike-slip faults mediate the rise of crustal-derived fluids and mud volcanism in the deep sea
Geology 43 (4), 339 - 342 10.1130/G36359.1