Abstract
The correlation between variations of the bathymetry and of the geoid in the Pacific Ocean suggests that both are the surface expression of mantle convection. The planform of the convection which is required to generate the observed anomalies does not consist of rolls but is three dimensional, with rising and sinking jets elongated in the direction of motion of the Pacific plate relative to the frame of reference defined by the hot spots. The spacing between the maxima and minima of the geoid is between 1,500 and 2,000 km and hence favours a model of mantle convection with multiple scales of circulation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Runcorn, S. K. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A258, 228 (1965).
McKenzie, D. P., Roberts, J. M. & Weiss, N. O. J. Fluid Mech. 62, 465 (1974).
McKenzie, D. P. & Weiss, N. O. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 42, 131 (1975).
Sclater, J. G., Lawver, L. A. & Parsons, B. J. geophys. Res. 80, 1031 (1975).
Watts, A. B. J. geophys. Res. 83, 5989 (1978).
Anderson, R. N., McKenzie, D. P. & Sclater, J. G. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 18, 391 (1973).
Watts, A. B. J. geophys. Res. 81, 1533 (1976).
Cochran, J. R. & Talwani, M. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 50, 495 (1977).
Menard, H. W. & Dorman, L. M. J. geophys. Res. 82, 5329 (1977).
Marsh, B. D. & Marsh, J. G. J. geophys. Res. 81, 5267 (1976).
Watts, A. B. J. geophys. Res. 83, 3551 (1978).
McKenzie, D. P. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 48, 211 (1977).
Rapp, R. H. J. geophys. Res. 84, 3784 (1979).
Wagner, C., Lerch, F., Brownd, J. & Richardson, J. J. geophys. Res. 82, 901 (1977).
Minster, J. B. & Jordan, T. H. J. geophys. Res. 83, 5331 (1978).
Watts, A. B., Bodine, J. H. & Ribe, N. M. Nature 283, 532 (1980).
Richter, F. M. & Parsons, B. J. geophys. Res. 80, 2529 (1975).
Skilbeck, J. N. & McKenzie, D. P. Pageophysics 117, 958 (1979).
Richter, F. & McKenzie, D. J. Geophys. 44, 441 (1979).
Hewitt, J. M., McKenzie, D. P. & Weiss, N. O. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 51 (in the press).
Parsons, B. & McKenzie, D. P. J. geophys. Res. 83, 4485 (1978).
Parmentier, E. M. & Oliver, J. E. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 57, 1 (1979).
Chase, C. G. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 56, 1 (1979).
Hager, B. H. & O'Connell, R. J. J. geophys. Res. 84, 1031 (1979).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McKenzie, D., Watts, A., Parsons, B. et al. Planform of mantle convection beneath the Pacific Ocean. Nature 288, 442–446 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/288442a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/288442a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Application of Geoid Anomalies to the Tectonic Research in the East Asian Continental Margin
Journal of Ocean University of China (2018)
-
Estimating Curie Point Depth and Heat Flow Map for Northern Red Sea Rift of Egypt and Its Surroundings, from Aeromagnetic Data
Pure and Applied Geophysics (2013)
-
Geoid height versus topography of the Northern Ninetyeast Ridge: implications on crustal compensation
Marine Geophysical Researches (2009)
-
Depth anomalies in the Arabian Basin, NW Indian Ocean
Geo-Marine Letters (2008)
-
Alkaline hybrid mafic magmas of the Yampa area, NW Colorado, and their relationship to the Yellowstone mantle plume and lithospheric mantle domains
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (1991)