Probing the evolution of oceanic basins through scientific drilling
Dr. Philip Brandl (GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel, Germany)
Date and Time: April 13th 2021 – 17h GMT
Despite the tremendous effort of scientific drilling in the ocean basins over more than five decades, the total volume of basement rocks recovered by drilling remains highly limited. However, deep drilling is the only sampling technique that allows us to study the third (depth) and fourth (time) dimension of oceanic crustal processes. The drillcores of the DSDP, ODP and IODP programs thus represent an invaluable geological record and provide unique insights into the evolution of mid-ocean ridges and backarc basins as well as intraoceanic island arcs.
In my talk I will focus on the different timescales that are preserved in oceanic drill cores. From tens of millions of years across fully developed ocean basins, to several millions of years at individual sites drilled in marginal basins, to thousands of years during crustal accretion at mid-ocean ridges. Ocean drilling thus allows us to study a wide range of geological processes including mantle evolution related to supercontinental cycles and the opening of new oceanic basins, or the detailed mantle and crustal evolution during subduction zone initiation and thus the closure of oceanic basins. However, such detailed insights are only possible through interdisciplinary approaches and combining natural observations with state-of-the-art analytical techniques and modelling.
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UPDATE: To watch the seminar click here: Ridge Seminar Series YouTube Channel
