Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Cd. Universitaria, Mexico D.F. 04510, Mexico.
Nat Commun. 2013;4:1388. doi: 10.1038/ncomms2390.
The prevailing tectonic setting in the Gulf California suggests the presence of an undetermined number of short spreading centres with associated hydrothermal systems. However, to date, active seafloor spreading phenomena have been documented in only three of the eight tectonically active basins. Here we report heat flow values as high as 15,436 mW m(-2) in two of the northernmost basins of the Gulf of California, providing evidence of intense hydrothermal activity associated with the transition from continental rifting to seafloor spreading. The mean heat flow for the Wagner and Consag basins area is 1,875 mW m(-2), more than 15 times higher than the mean value for oceanic crust (105.4 mW m(-2)). Additional evidence for vigorous hydrothermal circulation and a shallow heat source includes intense gas discharge (CO(2) and CH(4)), widespread low pH (average 7.7), locally high (222)Rn concentrations in the bottom water and a high extent of organic matter maturation in the sediments.
加利福尼亚湾的主要构造环境表明，存在着数量不定的短扩张中心和与之相关的热液系统。然而，到目前为止，在 8 个构造活跃的盆地中，只有 3 个记录到了活跃的海底扩张现象。在这里，我们报告了加利福尼亚湾最北部的两个盆地中海流值高达 15436 mW m(-2)，这为与从大陆裂谷到海底扩张过渡相关的强烈热液活动提供了证据。瓦格纳和康萨格盆地地区的平均热流值为 1875 mW m(-2)，比大洋地壳的平均值（105.4 mW m(-2)）高 15 倍以上。热液循环强烈和热源较浅的其他证据包括强烈的气体排放（CO(2)和 CH(4)）、广泛的低 pH 值（平均 7.7）、底层水中局部高（222）Rn 浓度以及沉积物中高度成熟的有机物。
