Hydrothermal processes at mid-ocean ridges

Susan E. Humphris

Dept. of Geology & Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts

• Introduction
• Distribution and Temporal Variability of Submarine Hydrothermal Systems
  • East Pacific Rise at 9-10 N
  • Juan de Fuca Ridge
  • Mid-Atlantic Ridge
  • Working Models Relating Hydrothermalism to Volcanic and Tectonic Activity
• Rock-Water Interactions in the Oceanic Crust
• Evolution of Permeability and its Relation to Off-Axis Hydrothermal Circulation
• Outstanding Problems and Future Directions
• References