Hydrothermal alteration of upper oceanic crust formed at fast spreading rates

Project overview

Fast spreading rates occur at only 20% of the active ocean ridges, but approximately 50% of the present day ocean crust formed by fast spreading. Fast spread ocean crust is predicted to be relatively simple and most closely conform to the ideal Penrose stratigraphy. Here we wish to define the processes that govern the intensity and variability of chemical and isotopic exchange between seawater and basalts erupted at fast spreading rates, at a number of sites of different ages, extrusion styles, sedimentation rates, and basement topography. Chemical and isotopic fluxes calculated from these investigations will provide important tests of recent oceanic chemical balances for Sr, C, alkali elements, Si/Ge and U. This research will concentrate on Holes l256C and l256D drilled on ODP Leg 206, but also study Sites 595, 597, 1149, 1179, 1224 and 1243 that have received little attention.

Staff

Lead researchers

Professor Damon Teagle

Professor of Geochemistry

Research interests

formation and evolution of the ocean crust
fluid-rock interactions and Ore mineralisation
geochemical analysis

Connect with Damon

Email: Damon.Teagle@southampton.ac.uk

Research outputs

Hydrothermal contributions to global biogeochemical cycles: Insights from the Macquarie Island ophiolite

Rosalind Coggon, Damon Teagle, Michelle Harris, Garry. J Davidson, Jeffrey C. Alt & Timothy S. Brewer, 2016, Lithos, 264, 329-347

DOI: 10.1016/j.lithos.2016.08.024

Type: article

Mobility of Au and related elements during the hydrothermal alteration of the oceanic crust: implications for the sources of metals in VMS deposits

Clifford G.C. Patten, Iain K. Pitcairn, Damon A.H. Teagle & Michelle Harris, 2016, Mineralium Deposita, 51(2), 179-200

DOI: 10.1007/s00126-015-0598-8

Type: article

Channelling of hydrothermal fluids during the accretion and evolution of the upper oceanic crust: Sr isotope evidence from ODP Hole 1256D

Michelle Harris, Rosalind M. Coggon, Christopher E. Smith-Duque, Matthew J. Cooper, James A. Milton & Damon A.H. Teagle, 2015, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 416, 56-66

DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2015.01.042

Type: article

Downhole variation of lithium and oxygen isotopic compositions of oceanic crust at East Pacific Rise, ODP Site 1256

Y Gao, F Vils, KM Cooper, N Banerjee, M. Harris, J Hoefs, D.A.H. Teagle, JF Casey, T Elliott, C Laverne, JC Alt & K Muehlenbachs, 2012, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 13, Q10001

DOI: 10.1029/2012GC004207

Type: article

Hydrothermal calcium-carbonate veins reveal past ocean chemistry

Rosalind M. Coggon & Damon A.H. Teagle, 2011, Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 30(8), 1252-1268

DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2011.02.011

Type: article

Reconstructing past seawater Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca from mid-ocean ridge flank calcium carbonate veins

Rosalind M. Coggon, Damon A.H. Teagle, Christopher E. Smith-Duque, Jeffrey C. Alt & Matthew J. Cooper, 2010, Science, 327(5969), 1114-1117

DOI: 10.1126/science.1182252

Type: article

Subsurface structure of a submarine hydrothermal system in ocean crust formed at the East Pacific Rise, ODP/IODP Site 1256

Jeffrey C. Alt, Christine Laverne, Rosalind M. Coggon, Damon A.H. Teagle, Neil R. Banerjee, Sally Morgan, Christopher E. Smith-Duque, Michelle Harris & Laura Galli, 2010, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 11(10), Q10010

DOI: 10.1029/2010GC003144

Type: article