2006/11/24 by M. Tolstoy, James P. Cowen, Edward T. Baker +12 · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · #earthquake and tectonic studies #Geological and Geochemical Analysis #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
paper · doi:10.1126/science.1133950
openalex publication_date 2006/11/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Two-thirds of Earth's surface is formed at mid-ocean ridges, yet sea-floor spreading events are poorly understood because they occur far beneath the ocean surface. At 9 degrees 50'N on the East Pacific Rise, ocean-bottom seismometers recently recorded the microearthquake character of a mid-ocean ridge eruption, including precursory activity. A gradual ramp-up in activity rates since seismic monitoring began at this site in October 2003 suggests that eruptions may be forecast in the fast-spreading environment. The pattern culminates in an intense but brief (approximately 6-hour) inferred diking event on 22 January 2006, followed by rapid tapering to markedly decreased levels of seismicity.