Dallas H. Abbott, Janet L. Morton and Mark L. Holmes
Heat flow measurements on a hydrothermally-active, slow-spreading ridge; the Escanaba Trough
Geophysical Research Letters(July 1986), 13(7):678-680
Index Terms/Descriptors: East Pacific; Escanaba Trough; geophysical surveys; geothermal gradient; geothermal systems; Gorda Rise; heat flow; hydrothermal conditions; measurement; metallogeny; North American Pacific; North Pacific; Northeast Pacific; Pacific Ocean; rates; sea-floor spreading; spreading centers; sulfides; surveys; tectonophysics; thermal conductivity; troughs; vents
Latitude & LongitudeN40°30'00'' - N41°45'00'' and W127°50'00'' - W127°10'00''
Maximum heat flow measurements at three locations in the sediment-filled Escanaba Trough of the Gorda ridge exceed 1200 mW/m 2 . At other ridge crests with thick sediment cover, heat flow values of this magnitude are accompanied by high temperature hydrothermal vent activity and massive sulfide deposition. A dredge haul from the southernmost high heat flow location recovered pyrrhotite, thereby confirming the presence of recent high temperature venting.