Abstract
Marine magnetic and gravity profile results over the hot brine area (21°30′N, 38°E) and axial trough of the Red Sea between 25°N and 18°N latitudes confirm previous hypotheses that dense, strongly magnetic rocks underlie these areas. The gravity and magnetic anomalies in the immediate vicinity of the hot brine area appear to be part of broad, regional anomaly trends subparallel to the axial trough. It is unlikely that the heavy metal deposits of the hot brine area contribute significantly to the observed anomalies. Model studies show the configuration of bodies which could account for the axial trough anomalies to be compatible with a rifting origin associated with seafloor spreading. There appear to be at least two distinct zones of active seafloor spreading in the axial trough. One region is located beneath the hot brine area; its spreading axis trends about N70°E with an apparent rate of 1.5cm/yr. The other zone, extending between 20°N and 16°N, has its spreading axis trending about N35°E near 18°N, 40°E with an apparent rate of 1.0cm/yr. Assuming a nearly N-S direction of separation for Africa and Arabia, the true spreading rates are 1.6 and 1.7cm/yr, respectively. The location of the hot brine area over the northern seafloor spreading center (near 21°30′N) and the known volcanism associated with seafloor spreading zones on other mid-ocean ridges strongly suggest the heavy metal deposits and hot brine waters result from submarine volcanic emanations.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Contribution No. 2182.
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Phillips, J.D., Woodside, J., Bowin, C.O. (1969). Magnetic and Gravity Anomalies in the Central Red Sea. In: Degens, E.T., Ross, D.A. (eds) Hot Brines and Recent Heavy Metal Deposits in the Red Sea. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-28603-6_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-28603-6_10
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