MantlePlumes.org No Plumes Along Mid-Ocean Ridges

Hot plumes were considered by Morgan (1971, 1972) to be basic components of a whole-mantle thermal convection regime that guides and helps maintain volcanism along spreading ridges. These plumes have been considered to be the main or even total (Yamamoto et al., 2007) source of thermal energy that drives plates. They would also provide the energy for enhanced lava production and locally higher temperatures along spreading ridge. A recent paper (Presnall & Gudfinnsson, 2007) presents a new model for the generation of mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) and oceanic lithosphere formation. This model addresses the temperatures of melt extraction along mid-ocean ridges, an approach toward mapping of mantle heterogeneity beneath ridges, and the existence of hot plumes a