Comments on: Large volume of water locked in rock below Asia http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/ The latest and greatest news in geology, from around the world. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:24:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Javi http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-133 Javi Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:11:39 +0000 http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-133 Well, Chris, I think so, the age of the subduction is the most important factor, but maybe the different angle of the subduction slab at South America and the high velocity of the plate could help in the matter as well. I mean....the cooling velocity is very different one each other place because of the proof and dip angle of the subduction slab. Cheers from Spain. Javi Well, Chris, I think so, the age of the subduction is the most important factor, but maybe the different angle of the subduction slab at South America and the high velocity of the plate could help in the matter as well.

I mean….the cooling velocity is very different one each other place because of the proof and dip angle of the subduction slab.

Cheers from Spain.

Javi

]]> By: Chris Rowan http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-130 Chris Rowan Tue, 06 Mar 2007 11:43:05 +0000 http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-130 ...and you're probably right about the authors, although probably the worst are the creationists congratulating them on finally discovering where the water from The Flood went... …and you’re probably right about the authors, although probably the worst are the creationists congratulating them on finally discovering where the water from The Flood went…

]]> By: Chris Rowan http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-129 Chris Rowan Tue, 06 Mar 2007 11:41:08 +0000 http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-129 The image you have is (I think) set to 1000 km depth - this is way below where the melting which leads to arc volcanoes occurs. A cross-section through their model does seem to show a high attenuation zone beneath South America at shallower depths. The image you have is (I think) set to 1000 km depth - this is way below where the melting which leads to arc volcanoes occurs. A cross-section through their model does seem to show a high attenuation zone beneath South America at shallower depths.

]]> By: Dave Schumaker http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-128 Dave Schumaker Mon, 05 Mar 2007 22:27:07 +0000 http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-128 Thanks for that reply. It sounds like an excellent hypothesis to me actually. Though I would still expect to see even a small amount of water saturated rock in that subduction zone though. Then again, I'm not exactly sure how their scale is setup and what sort of concentrations they correlated with certain wave anomaly. But since the water in subducted sheets are thought to lead to more melting of mantle material (which help drive those volcanoes in subduction zones), I would expect something to show up. I may try to shoot off an email to the authors later this evening and see if I can get some of their thoughts on it. Though I'm sure they are being inundated with emails asking whether or not we can sail these seas and if the "oceans" found down there are somehow valuable for drinking water. ;) Thanks for that reply. It sounds like an excellent hypothesis to me actually. Though I would still expect to see even a small amount of water saturated rock in that subduction zone though. Then again, I’m not exactly sure how their scale is setup and what sort of concentrations they correlated with certain wave anomaly. But since the water in subducted sheets are thought to lead to more melting of mantle material (which help drive those volcanoes in subduction zones), I would expect something to show up.

I may try to shoot off an email to the authors later this evening and see if I can get some of their thoughts on it. Though I’m sure they are being inundated with emails asking whether or not we can sail these seas and if the “oceans” found down there are somehow valuable for drinking water. ;)

]]> By: Chris Rowan http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-127 Chris Rowan Mon, 05 Mar 2007 15:50:54 +0000 http://geology.rockbandit.net/2007/02/28/large-volume-of-water-locked-in-rock-below-asia/#comment-127 My guess would be that the lack of an anomaly under South America is due to differences in the age of the crust being subducted. The crust being subducted beneath Asia is almost 200 million years old, so has had plenty of time for large amounts of hydrated minerals to accumulate through reactions with seawater. In contrast, the crust being subducted beneath the Americas is much closer to the spreading ridges which created it, and is therefore much younger, so will be relatively ‘dry’ My guess would be that the lack of an anomaly under South America is due to differences in the age of the crust being subducted. The crust being subducted beneath Asia is almost 200 million years old, so has had plenty of time for large amounts of hydrated minerals to accumulate through reactions with seawater. In contrast, the crust being subducted beneath the Americas is much closer to the spreading ridges which created it, and is therefore much younger, so will be relatively ‘dry’

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