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V p/V s-ratios from the central Kolbeinsey Ridge to the Jan Mayen Basin, North Atlantic; implications for lithology, porosity and present-day stress field

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Abstract

The horizontal components from twenty Ocean Bottom Seismometers deployed along three profiles near the Kolbeinsey Ridge, North Atlantic, have been modelled with regard to S-waves, based on P-wave models obtained earlier. Two profiles were acquired parallel to the ridge, and the third profile extended eastwards across the continental Jan Mayen Basin. The modelling requires a thin (few 100 m) layer with very high V p/V s-ratio (3.5–9.5) at the sea-floor in the area lacking sedimentary cover. The obtained V p/V s-ratios for the remaining part of layer 2A, 2B, 3 and upper mantle, correspond to the following lithologies: pillow lavas, sheeted dykes, gabbro and peridotite, respectively. All crustal layers exhibit a decreasing trend in V p/V s-ratio away-from-the-axis, interpreted as decreasing porosity and/or crack density in that direction. A significant S-wave azimuthal anisotropy is observed within the thin uppermost layer of basalt near the ridge. The anisotropy is interpreted as being caused by fluid-filled microcracks aligned along the direction of present-day maximum compressive stress, and indicates crustal extension at the ridge itself and perpendicular-to-the-ridge compression 12 km off axis. Spreading along the Kolbeinsey Ridge has most likely been continuous since its initiation ca. 25 Ma: The data do not suggest the presence of an extinct spreading axis between the Kolbeinsey Ridge and the Aegir Ridge as has been proposed earlier. The V p/V s-ratios found in the Jan Mayen Basin are compatible with continental crust, overlain by a sedimentary section dominated by shale.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Solid Earth Physics, Univ. of Bergen, Allégt. 41, 5007, Bergen, Norway

    Rolf Mjelde

  2. Institute of Solid Earth Physics, Univ. of Bergen, Allégt. 41, 5007, Bergen, Norway

    Roar Aurvåg

  3. Institute of Seismology and Volcanology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060, Japan

    Shuichi Kodaira

  4. Institute of Seismology and Volcanology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060, Japan

    Hideki Shimamura

  5. National Energy Authority, Grensasvegi 9, 108, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Karl Gunnarsson

  6. Institute of Seismology and Volcanology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060, Japan

    Ayako Nakanishi

  7. Institute of Seismology and Volcanology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060, Japan

    Hajime Shiobara

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Mjelde, R., Aurvåg, R., Kodaira, S. et al. V p/V s-ratios from the central Kolbeinsey Ridge to the Jan Mayen Basin, North Atlantic; implications for lithology, porosity and present-day stress field. Marine Geophysical Researches 23, 123–145 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022439707307

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