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2014 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

4. Sea Floor Rocks

Author : Roger Hekinian

Published in: Sea Floor Exploration

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

Sea floor rocks can reveal Earth’s history. Based on the various sampling operations conducted by ocean going scientists, it is inferred that the relative distribution of oceanic rocks includes about 50 % basalts/dolerites, 20 % gabbros and 30 % peridotites. Basalt and dolerite are the main volcanic rocks of the upper crust, gabbros are formed during the solidification of a magma chamber or magma conduit, and peridotites are either the heavy mineral residues left within the reservoirs after magma solidification or they could be the remains after a partial melting of mantle material. Basalt is the most common type of volcanic rock found on the sea floor. Basalt and other related rocks have been extruded after partial melting of the Earth’s mantle material. Rocks from the sea floor differ from those encountered on land due to their shape and their chemical composition. The effect of seawater and the pressure it exercises on hot, outpouring lava will fashion the shape of deep-sea volcanic rocks giving the sea floor a different appearance than what we see in subaerial environments. Curved and spherical-shaped pillow lavas are only found on the sea floor due to the fact that seawater pressure is equally applied on all directions of the lava flows and their cooling surfaces. Basalts consist of silicates of magnesium, plus iron and calcium oxides. Less common silica-enriched rocks (SiO₂ > 53 %) such as andesites (SiO₂ = 53–59 %), rhyolites (>70 %) and trachytes (SiO₂ = 59–64 %) are also found on some undersea structures such as domes and seamounts.

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Title: Sea Floor Rocks
Author: Roger Hekinian
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Book: Sea Floor Exploration
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-03202-3

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-03203-0

Copyright Year: 2014
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03203-0_4