Heat Flow Asymmetry of the West Indian Ridge

Abstract

Statistically significant asymmetry of geothermal data was established by statistical analysis of the heat flow density along the geotraverses intersecting the West Indian Ridge in the southwestern part of the ocean. To compare the samples of the heat flow density, the Cramer–Welch criterion was applied. It was found that the heat flow on the western slope of the ridge and in the adjacent abyssal basins is higher than in the same structural elements located east of the ridge axis. Asymmetry in the crust structure and in the magnetic field is also noted. To explain this phenomenon, a model that takes the Coriolis force into consideration was proposed. The Coriolis force affects the ascending magma flux in the divergent zone of the ridge.