Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Punctiform initiation of seafloor spreading in the Red Sea during transition from a continental to an oceanic rift

Nature volume 316, pages 33–37 (1985)Cite this article

Abstract

Transition from a continental to an oceanic rift occurs in the Red Sea by initial emplacement of oceanic crust in regularly spaced ‘hot points’, which serve as nuclei for axial propagation into segments of oceanic crust accretion and for initiation of seafloor spreading. Hot points develop above upwelling mantle diapirs caused by density / viscosity inversion beneath continental and oceanic rifts.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McKenzie, D. P. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 40, 25–32 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Freund, R. Nature 228, 453–455 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Girdler, R. W. & Darracot, B. W. Geophysics 2, 131–138 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Richardson, E. S. & Harrison, C. G. A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 30, 135–142 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. LePichon, X. & Francheteau, J. Tectonophysics 46, 369–406 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cochran, J. R. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc., 68, 171 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cochran, J. R. Bull. Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol. 67, 41–69 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Roeser, H. A. Geol. Jb. 13, 131–153 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Courtillot, V. E. Tectonics 1, 239–250 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Coleman, R. G. Proc. 27th Int. geol. Congr., Moscow S-06-2-1 23, 93–121 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bonatti, E., Colantoni, P., Della Vedova, B. & Taviani, M. Oceanologica acta 7, 385–398 (1984).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Garfunkel, Z., Ginzburg, A. & Searle, R. C. Anns Geophyisica (in the press).

  13. Bonatti, E. et al. J. geol. Soc. 140, 677–690 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Girdler, R. W. & Styles, P. Nature 247, 7–11 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hall, S. A. Saudi Arabian Proj. Rep. 275 (US Geol. Surv. 1979).

  16. Backer, H., Lange, K. & Richter, H. Geol. Jb. D13, 79–123 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Searle, R. C. & Ross, D. A. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 43, 555–572 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Pautot, G. Oceanologica Acta 6, 235–244 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pautot, G., Guennoc, P., Coutelle, A. & Lyberis, N. Nature 310, 133–136 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Crane, K. & Bonatti, E. Tectonophysics (submitted).

  21. Zonenshajn, L. P., Monin, A. S. & Sorokhtin, G. Geotektonika 2, 3–22 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Juteau, T. et al. Bull. Centres. Rech. Explor. Prod. Elf-Aquitaine 7, 217–231 (1983).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Miller, S. P., MacDonald, K. C. & Lonsdale, P. F. J. geophys. Res. (in the press).

  24. Degens, E. T. & Ross, D. A. (eds) Hot Brines and Recent Heavy Metal Deposits in the Red Sea (Springer, Berlin, 1969).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Garson, M. S. & Krs, M. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 87, 169–181 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Taviani, M., Bonatti, E., Colantoni, P. & Rossi, P. L. Boll. geol. Soc. Ital. (in the press).

  27. Schilling, J. G. Science 165, 1357–1360 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Sclater, J. G. & Francheteau, J. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 20, 509–542 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Baker, B. H. & Wohlenberg, J. Nature 229, 538–542 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Bridwell, R. J. in Tectonics and Geophysics of Continental Rifts (eds Ramberg, H. & Neumann, E. R.) 73–80 (Reidel, Boston, 1978).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  31. Parker, E. C., Davis, P. M., Evans, J. R., Iyer, H.M. & Olsen, K. H. Nature 312, 354–356 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Edel, J. B., Fuchs, K., Gelbke, C. & Prodehl, C. J. geophys. Res. 41, 333–345 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Logatchev, N. A., Rogozhina, V. A., Solonenko, V. P. & Zorin, Y. A. in Tectonics and Geophysics of Continental Rifts (eds Ramberg, I. B. & Neumann, E. R.) 49–62 (Reidel, Boston, 1978).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  34. Zorin, Y. A. Tectonophysics 73, 91–104 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Spohn, T. & Schubert, G. J. geophys. Res. 87, 4669–4681 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. Girdler, R. W. & Evans, T. R. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 51, 245–251 (1977).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  37. Allan, T. D. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A267, 153–180 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. Bailey, D. K. Nature 296, 525–530 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Bonatti, E., Ottonello, G. & Hamlyn, P. R. Geology 9, 474–479 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. Bonatti, E., Ottonello, G. & Hamlyn, P. R. J. geophys. Res. (in the press).

  41. Marsh, B. D. J. Geol. 87, 687–713 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. Whitehead, J. A., Dick, H.J.B. & Shouten, H. Nature 312, 146–148 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Crane, K. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 72, 405–414 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  44. Danes, Z. F. Geophysics 29, 414–424 (1964).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  45. Biot, M. A. & Ode, H. Geophysics 30, 213–227 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. Seelig, F. Geophysics 30, 633–634 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  47. Ramberg, H. Phys. Earth planet. Inter. 5, 45–60 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. Lewis, B. T. R. J. geophys. Res. 86, 4868–4880 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  49. Rabinowicz, M., Nicolas, A. & Vigneresse, J.L. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 67, 97–108 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  50. Thayer, R. E., Bjornsson, A., Alvarez, L. & Hermance, J. F. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 65, 423–442 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  51. Turcotte, D. L., Haxby, W. F. & Ockendon, J. R. in Island Arcs, Deep Sea Trenches and Back-Arc Basins (eds Talwani, M. & Pitman, W. C.) 63–69 (Am. Geophys. Union, 1977).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  52. LePichon, X. & Sibuet, J. C. J geophys. Res. 86, 3708–3720 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  53. Vogt, P. R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 29, 309–325 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  54. Shouten, H. & Klitgord, K. D. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 59, 255–266 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  55. Nicolas, A. & Violette, J. F. Tectonophysics 81, 319–339 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  56. Sigurdsson, H. & Sparks, S. R. Nature 274, 126–130 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Mohr, P. A. & Wood, C. A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 33, 126–144 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, 10964, USA

    Enrico Bonatti

Authors
  1. Enrico Bonatti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bonatti, E. Punctiform initiation of seafloor spreading in the Red Sea during transition from a continental to an oceanic rift. Nature 316, 33–37 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/316033a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/316033a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing