The Mid-Cayman Rise or Mid-Cayman Spreading Center is a relatively short (110 km long) divergent plate boundary in the middle of the Cayman Trough. It forms part of a dominantly transform boundary that is part of the southern margin to the North American Plate. It is an ultra-slow spreading center with an opening rate of 15–17 mm per year.[1]
The location of the Mid-Cayman Rise
Formationedit
The Mid-Cayman Rise developed during the Eocene when the northern part of the Caribbean Plate collided with the Bahamas Platform, forcing the southern boundary to propagate southwards. This boundary initially formed as two strike-slip faults with a large left-stepping offset between them, generating a pull-apart basin. Continuing movement on the boundary and extension within the pull-apart led to the formation of an area of oceanic crust containing a north-south trending spreading center that remains active to the present day.
When the spreading center formed, all the displacement on the Swan Islands Transform Fault was transferred by the Mid-Cayman Rise to the Septentrional-Oriente fault zone. During the Late Miocene, the leading edge of the Caribbean Plate began to collide with the Bahamas Platform. This led to the development of a new fault system, formed of the Walton fault zone and the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden fault zone, carrying some of the plate boundary displacement and creating the Gonâve Microplate. Eventually all the displacement on the plate boundary is expected to move onto the southern fault system as the microplate becomes accreted to the North American Plate, at which point the Mid-Cayman Rise will become extinct.[2]
Hydrothermal ventsedit
ROVJason II working at the Von Damm Vent Field in 2020.
The Mid-Cayman Rise is a particularly unique location as there are two confirmed hydrothermal fields in close proximity of each other. The Von Damm vent field, named after geological oceanographer Karen Von Damm, is located on the ocean core complex Mount Dent, and features unique chimney structures of talc. The Beebe Vent field, after William Beebe, is the world's deepest hydrothermal system with extremely hot vent fluids.[3] There is activity in the water column to suggest a third vent field, though it has not yet been identified.[4]
We know hydrothermal vents appear along ridges approximately every 100 kilometers [62 miles]. But this ridge crest is only 100 kilometers long, so we should only have expected to find evidence for one site at most. So finding evidence for three sites was quite unexpected – but then finding out that our data indicated that each site represents a different style of venting – one of every kind known, all in pretty much the same place – was extraordinarily cool.
The hydrothermal vents cause there to be low temperatures which create extremophile organisms. These microorganisms have been named Candidatus Vondammii. They have been studied to understand how they are able to live in extreme conditions. The NASA Astrobiology Program is interested in studying this area as it is an extreme environment that simulates conditions on other planets where life could be found.[6]
Referencesedit
^Hayman N.W.; Grindlay N.R.; Perfit M.R.; Mann P.; Leroy S.; de Lépinay B.M. (2011). "Oceanic core complex development at the ultraslow spreading Mid-Cayman Spreading Center". Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. 12 (3): n/a. Bibcode:2011GGG....12.AG02H. doi:10.1029/2010GC003240.
^ Mann, P.; Taylor, F.W.; Edwards, R. Lawrence; Ku, Teh Lung (1995). "Actively evolving microplate formation by oblique collision and sideways motion along strike-slip faults: An example from the northeastern Caribbean plate margin". Tectonophysics. 246 (1–3): 1–69. Bibcode:1995Tectp.246....1M. doi:10.1016/0040-1951(94)00268-E.
^"Two new hydrothermal vent fields discovered". University of Bergen.
^German, C. R.; Bowen, A.; Coleman, M. L.; Honig, D. L.; Huber, J. A.; Jakuba, M. V.; Kinsey, J. C.; Kurz, M. D.; Leroy, S.; McDermott, J. M.; de Lepinay, B. M.; Nakamura, K.; Seewald, J. S.; Smith, J. L.; Sylva, S. P.; Van Dover, C. L.; Whitcomb, L. L.; Yoerger, D. R. (21 July 2010). "Diverse styles of submarine venting on the ultraslow spreading Mid-Cayman Rise". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 107 (32): 14020–14025. Bibcode:2010PNAS..10714020G. doi:10.1073/pnas.1009205107. PMC2922602. PMID 20660317.
^"The World's Deepest Vent". Astrobiology Magazine. 25 July 2010.
cayman, rise, cayman, spreading, center, relatively, short, long, divergent, plate, boundary, middle, cayman, trough, forms, part, dominantly, transform, boundary, that, part, southern, margin, north, american, plate, ultra, slow, spreading, center, with, open. The Mid Cayman Rise or Mid Cayman Spreading Center is a relatively short 110 km long divergent plate boundary in the middle of the Cayman Trough It forms part of a dominantly transform boundary that is part of the southern margin to the North American Plate It is an ultra slow spreading center with an opening rate of 15 17 mm per year 1 The location of the Mid Cayman RiseFormation editThe Mid Cayman Rise developed during the Eocene when the northern part of the Caribbean Plate collided with the Bahamas Platform forcing the southern boundary to propagate southwards This boundary initially formed as two strike slip faults with a large left stepping offset between them generating a pull apart basin Continuing movement on the boundary and extension within the pull apart led to the formation of an area of oceanic crust containing a north south trending spreading center that remains active to the present day When the spreading center formed all the displacement on the Swan Islands Transform Fault was transferred by the Mid Cayman Rise to the Septentrional Oriente fault zone During the Late Miocene the leading edge of the Caribbean Plate began to collide with the Bahamas Platform This led to the development of a new fault system formed of the Walton fault zone and the Enriquillo Plantain Garden fault zone carrying some of the plate boundary displacement and creating the Gonave Microplate Eventually all the displacement on the plate boundary is expected to move onto the southern fault system as the microplate becomes accreted to the North American Plate at which point the Mid Cayman Rise will become extinct 2 Hydrothermal vents edit nbsp ROV Jason II working at the Von Damm Vent Field in 2020 The Mid Cayman Rise is a particularly unique location as there are two confirmed hydrothermal fields in close proximity of each other The Von Damm vent field named after geological oceanographer Karen Von Damm is located on the ocean core complex Mount Dent and features unique chimney structures of talc The Beebe Vent field after William Beebe is the world s deepest hydrothermal system with extremely hot vent fluids 3 There is activity in the water column to suggest a third vent field though it has not yet been identified 4 We know hydrothermal vents appear along ridges approximately every 100 kilometers 62 miles But this ridge crest is only 100 kilometers long so we should only have expected to find evidence for one site at most So finding evidence for three sites was quite unexpected but then finding out that our data indicated that each site represents a different style of venting one of every kind known all in pretty much the same place was extraordinarily cool Chris German 2010 Astrobiology Magazine 5 The hydrothermal vents cause there to be low temperatures which create extremophile organisms These microorganisms have been named Candidatus Vondammii They have been studied to understand how they are able to live in extreme conditions The NASA Astrobiology Program is interested in studying this area as it is an extreme environment that simulates conditions on other planets where life could be found 6 References edit Hayman N W Grindlay N R Perfit M R Mann P Leroy S de Lepinay B M 2011 Oceanic core complex development at the ultraslow spreading Mid Cayman Spreading Center Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 12 3 n a Bibcode 2011GGG 12 AG02H doi 10 1029 2010GC003240 Mann P Taylor F W Edwards R Lawrence Ku Teh Lung 1995 Actively evolving microplate formation by oblique collision and sideways motion along strike slip faults An example from the northeastern Caribbean plate margin Tectonophysics 246 1 3 1 69 Bibcode 1995Tectp 246 1M doi 10 1016 0040 1951 94 00268 E Two new hydrothermal vent fields discovered University of Bergen German C R Bowen A Coleman M L Honig D L Huber J A Jakuba M V Kinsey J C Kurz M D Leroy S McDermott J M de Lepinay B M Nakamura K Seewald J S Smith J L Sylva S P Van Dover C L Whitcomb L L Yoerger D R 21 July 2010 Diverse styles of submarine venting on the ultraslow spreading Mid Cayman Rise Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107 32 14020 14025 Bibcode 2010PNAS 10714020G doi 10 1073 pnas 1009205107 PMC 2922602 PMID 20660317 The World s Deepest Vent Astrobiology Magazine 25 July 2010 NASA Astrobiology astrobiology nasa gov Retrieved 2023 01 11 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mid Cayman Rise amp oldid 1147909807, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
