Geophysics – Geodynamics

New ocean floor and lithosphere form along mid-ocean ridges, where tectonic, magmatic, and alteration processes interact to create diverse seafloor environments. These processes allow chemical and heat exchanges with the ocean via hydrothermal circulation, influencing Earth’s global chemical cycles and the evolution of life.

Within the “Ocean Floor – Earth’s Uncharted Interface” Cluster of Excellence at MARUM, University of Bremen, this project (part of Research Topic: Ocean Floor Object 2) investigates how tectonic, magmatic, and alteration processes interact to shape the heterogeneous lithosphere over time and space. While geophysical and petrological methods provide insights into lithospheric structure and composition, challenges remain in understanding the mechanisms driving lithospheric formation and estimating large-scale alteration and magmatism—key in assessing the lithosphere's role in Earth’s chemical cycles and life evolution.

This project focuses on addressing how tectonics—often considered a secondary factor—influences magmatic accretion, magma budget, and lithosphere alteration using the 2-D visco-elasto-plastic code Rift2Ridge (developed within the framework of the Modelling Enabler REACTOR project). This work aims to provide a geodynamic view on young and old lithosphere architecture and address knowledge gaps in interpreting seismic imaging, our main tool for understanding the entire oceanic lithosphere structure.

Dr. Leila Mezri, 2019-2025

Dr. Javier García-Pintado, 2019-2025

Funding from the DFG Cluster of Excellence “The Ocean Floor – Earth’s Uncharted Interface”.

Publications:

Liu, Z, Pérez-Gussinyé, M, García-Pintado, J, Mezri, L and Bach, W(2023) Mantle serpentinization and associated hydrogen flux at North Atlantic magma-poor rifted margins.Geology, 51(3). 284-289.doi:10.1130/G50722.1

Raghuram, G, Pérez-Gussinyé, M, Andrés-Martínez, M, García-Pintado, J, Neto Araujo, M and Morgan, JP(2023) Asymmetry and evolution of craton-influenced rifted margins.Geology.doi:10.1130/G51370.1

Mezri, L., García-Pintado, J., Pérez-Gussinyé, M., Liu, Z., Bach, W., & Cannat, M. (2024). Tectonic controls on melt production and crustal architecture during magma-poor seafloor spreading. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 628, 118569.

Pérez-Gussinyé, M, Xin, Y, Cunha, T, Ram, R, Andrés-Martínez, M, Dong, D and García-Pintado, J(2024) Synrift and post-rift thermal evolution of rifted margins: a re-evaluation of classic models of extension.Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 547(1).doi:10.1144/sp547-2023-128

Mezri, L., Diehl, A., Ferrand, T. P., García-Pintado, J., Bickert, M., Pérez-Gussinyé, M. Tectonic control of hydration-induced rheological heterogeneities in ultra-slow-spreading oceanic lithosphere. (in rev.)