Where does serpentinization take place?
Where does serpentinization take place?
mid-ocean ridges
The hydrothermal alteration of mantle rocks (referred to as serpentinization) occurs in submarine environments extending from mid-ocean ridges to subduction zones.
What is serpentinization in geology?
Serpentinization is a processes whereby rock (usually ultramafic) is changed, with the addition of water into the crystal structure of the minerals found within the rock. A common example is the serpentinization of peridotite (or dunite) into serpentinite (the metamorphic equivalent).
Is peridotite a serpentine?
Peridotite is an ultramafic rock containing olivine and pyroxenes, with minor chromite. It is the precursor of serpentinite. Serpentinite is produced by the addition of water to peridotite in a metamorphic process called serpentinization.
Why is serpentinization important?
Serpentinization: The Heat Engine at Lost City and Sponge of the Oceanic Crust. An important consequence of serpentinization is the production of heat. The process of serpentinization can provide heat to drive the Lost City hydrothermal system in two ways.
How is serpentinization related to the existence of organic molecules?
The abiogenic hydrocarbons and other organic compounds formed through the serpentinization of ultramafic rocks provide energy and raw materials to support chemosynthetic microbial communities, which probably was the most important hydration reaction for the origin and early evolution of life.
Is serpentinization a type of metamorphism?
serpentinization (is a geological low-temperature metamorphic process ) involves chemical reactions which convert unhydrous ferromagnesian silicate minerals (pyroxene, olivine) into hydrous silicate minerals (serpentine) plus some other possibilities like brucite and magnetite.
Why is serpentinite called serpentinite?
Serpentinite is a rock composed of one or more serpentine group minerals, the name originating from the similarity of the texture of the rock to that of the skin of a snake.
Where is serpentinite formed?
tectonic plate boundaries
Serpentinite is a metamorphic rock that forms at tectonic plate boundaries deep within the Earth.
What type of rock is chalk?
Chalk, a sedimentary rock, is a soft form of limestone that is not well cemented and thus is often powdery and brittle.
Does serpentinization produce oxygen?
The essence of serpentinization is, ultimately, that Fe2+ is oxidized by water, water is consumed by the reaction, the oxidized Fe2+ and the newly formed oxygen remain as magnetite (Fe3O4), the water is reduced to H2, and the vent fluid becomes alkaline (pH 9–11) [6] due to hydroxides being generated.