scholarly journals Abrupt tectonics and rapid slab detachment with grain damage

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 1287-1291 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bercovici ◽  
Gerald Schubert ◽  
Yanick Ricard
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Simple Model ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Plate Motion ◽  
Size Evolution ◽  
Grain Damage ◽  
Rapid Changes

A simple model for necking and detachment of subducting slabs is developed to include the coupling between grain-sensitive rheology and grain-size evolution with damage. Necking is triggered by thickened buoyant crust entrained into a subduction zone, in which case grain damage accelerates necking and allows for relatively rapid slab detachment, i.e., within 1 My, depending on the size of the crustal plug. Thick continental crustal plugs can cause rapid necking while smaller plugs characteristic of ocean plateaux cause slower necking; oceanic lithosphere with normal or slightly thickened crust subducts without necking. The model potentially explains how large plateaux or continental crust drawn into subduction zones can cause slab loss and rapid changes in plate motion and/or induce abrupt continental rebound.

scholarly journals A Simple Model to Relate the Elastic Ratio Gamma of a Critically Self-Organized Spring-Block Model with the Age of a Lithospheric Downgoing Plate in a Subduction Zone

Entropy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Perez-Oregon ◽  
Alejandro Muñoz-Diosdado ◽  
Adolfo Helmut Rudolf-Navarro ◽  
Fernando Angulo-Brown
Keyword(s):  
Simple Model ◽  
Rate Of Convergence ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Characteristic Earthquake ◽  
Block Model ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Elastic Ratio ◽  
Diagram Type

In 1980, Ruff and Kanamori (RK) published an article on seismicity and the subduction zones where they reported that the largest characteristic earthquake (Mw) of a subduction zone is correlated with two geophysical quantities: the rate of convergence between the oceanic and continental plates (V) and the age of the corresponding subducting oceanic lithosphere (T). This proposal was synthetized by using an empirical graph (RK-diagram) that includes the variables Mw, V and T. We have recently published an article that reports that there are some common characteristics between real seismicity, sandpaper experiments and a critically self-organized spring-block model. In that paper, among several results we qualitatively recovered a RK-diagram type constructed with equivalent synthetic quantities corresponding to Mw, V and T. In the present paper, we improve that synthetic RK-diagram by means of a simple model relating the elastic ratio γ of a critically self-organized spring-block model with the age of a lithospheric downgoing plate. In addition, we extend the RK-diagram by including some large subduction earthquakes occurred after 1980. Similar behavior to the former RK-diagram is observed and its SOC synthetic counterpart is obtained.

scholarly journals Up the down escalator: the exhumation of (ultra)-high pressure terranes during on-going subduction

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 745-781 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Warren
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
Crustal Material ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
Ultra High Pressure ◽  
Tectonic Environment ◽  
Tectonic Style ◽  
Weak Material

Abstract. The exhumation of high and ultra-high pressure rocks is ubiquitous in Phanerozoic orogens created during continental collisions, and is common in many ocean-ocean and ocean-continent subduction zone environments. Three different tectonic environments have previously been reported, which exhume deeply buried material by different mechanisms and at different rates. However it is becoming increasingly clear that no single mechanism dominates in any particular tectonic environment, and the mechanism may change in time and space within the same subduction zone. In order for buoyant continental crust to subduct, it must remain attached to a stronger and denser substrate, but in order to exhume, it must detach (and therefore at least locally weaken) and be initially buoyant. Denser oceanic crust subducts more readily than more buoyant continental crust but exhumation must be assisted by entrainment within more buoyant and weak material such as serpentinite or driven by the exhumation of structurally lower continental crustal material. Weakening mechanisms responsible for the detachment of crust at depth include strain, hydration, melting, grain size reduction and the development of foliation. These may act locally or may act on the bulk of the subducted material. Metamorphic reactions, metastability and the composition of the subducted crust all affect buoyancy and overall strength. Subduction zones change in style both in time and space, and exhumation mechanisms change to reflect the tectonic style and overall force regime within the subduction zone. Exhumation events may be transient and occur only once in a particular subduction zone or orogen, or may be more continuous or occur multiple times.

Relative roles of source composition, fractional crystallization and crustal contamination in the petrogenesis of Andean volcanic rocks

1984 ◽  
Vol 310 (1514) ◽  
pp. 675-692 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Fractional Crystallization ◽  
Magma Mixing ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Crustal Contamination ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Alkaline Basalt ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Heterogeneous Mantle

There are well established differences in the chemical and isotopic characteristics of the calc-alkaline basalt—andesite-dacite-rhyolite association of the northern (n.v.z.), central (c.v.z.) and southern volcanic zones (s.v.z.) of the South American Andes. Volcanic rocks of the alkaline basalt-trachyte association occur within and to the east of these active volcanic zones. The chemical and isotopic characteristics of the n.v.z. basaltic andesites and andesites and the s.v.z. basalts, basaltic andesites and andesites are consistent with derivation by fractional crystallization of basaltic parent magmas formed by partial melting of the asthenospheric mantle wedge containing components from subducted oceanic lithosphere. Conversely, the alkaline lavas are derived from basaltic parent magmas formed from mantle of ‘within-plate’ character. Recent basaltic andesites from the Cerro Galan volcanic centre to the SE of the c.v.z. are derived from mantle containing both subduction zone and within-plate components, and have experienced assimilation and fractional crystallization (a.f.c.) during uprise through the continental crust. The c.v.z. basaltic andesites are derived from mantle containing subduction-zone components, probably accompanied by a.f.c. within the continental crust. Some c.v.z. lavas and pyroclastic rocks show petrological and geochemical evidence for magma mixing. The petrogenesis of the c.v.z. lavas is therefore a complex process in which magmas derived from heterogeneous mantle experience assimilation, fractional crystallization, and magma mixing during uprise through the continental crust.

The future of Earth's oceans: consequences of subduction initiation in the Atlantic and implications for supercontinent formation

2016 ◽  
Vol 155 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOÃO C. DUARTE ◽  
WOUTER P. SCHELLART ◽  
FILIPE M. ROSAS
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Turning Point ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Subduction Initiation ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Future

AbstractSubduction initiation is a cornerstone in the edifice of plate tectonics. It marks the turning point of the Earth's Wilson cycles and ultimately the supercycles as well. In this paper, we explore the consequences of subduction zone invasion in the Atlantic Ocean, following recent discoveries at the SW Iberia margin. We discuss a buoyancy argument based on the premise that old oceanic lithosphere is unstable for supporting large basins, implying that it must be removed in subduction zones. As a consequence, we propose a new conceptual model in which both the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans close simultaneously, leading to the termination of the present Earth's supercycle and to the formation of a new supercontinent, which we name Aurica. Our new conceptual model also provides insights into supercontinent formation and destruction (supercycles) proposed for past geological times (e.g. Pangaea, Rodinia, Columbia, Kenorland).

Effect of plate motion on plume-induced subduction initiation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marzieh Baes ◽  
Stephan Sobolev ◽  
Taras Gerya ◽  
Robert Stern ◽  
Sascha Brune
Keyword(s):  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Plate Motion ◽  
Cascadia Subduction Zone ◽  
Caribbean Plate ◽  
Subduction Initiation ◽  
Southern Margin ◽  
The Caribbean

<p>Subduction zones are key components of plate tectonics and plate tectonics could not begin until the first subduction zone formed. Plume-induced subduction initiation, which has been proposed as triggering the beginning of plate tectonics (Gerya et al., 2015), is one of the few scenarios that can break the lithosphere and recycle a stagnant lid without requiring any pre-existing weak zones. So far, two natural examples of plume-induced subduction initiation have been recognized. The first was found in southern and western margins of the Caribbean Plate (Whattam and Stern 2014). Initiation of the Cascadia subduction zone in Eocene times has been proposed to be the second example of plume-induced subduction initiation (Stern and Dumitru, 2019).</p><p>The focus of previous studies was to inspect plume-lithosphere interaction either for the case of stationary lithosphere (e.g., Gerya et al., 2015) or for moving lithosphere without considering the effect of lithospheric magmatic weakening above the plume head (e.g., Moore et al., 1998). In present study we investigate the response of moving oceanic lithosphere to the arrival of a rising mantle plume head including the effect of magmatic lithospheric weakening. We used 3D numerical thermo-mechanical modeling. Using I3ELVIS code, which is based on finite difference staggered grid and marker-in-cell with an efficient OpenMP multigrid solver (Gerya, 2010), we show that plate motion may affect the plume-induced subduction initiation only if a moderate size plume head (with a radius of 140 km in our experiments) impinges on a young but subductable lithosphere (with the age of 20 Myr). Outcomes indicate that lithospheric strength and plume buoyancy are key parameters in penetration of the plume and subduction initiation and that plate speed has a minor effect. We propose that eastward motion of the Farallon plate in Late Cretaceous time could play a key role in forming new subduction zones along the western and southern margin of the Caribbean plate.</p><p> </p><p>References:</p><p>Gerya, T., 2010, Introduction to Numerical Geodynamic Modelling.. Cambridge University Press.</p><p>Gerya, T.V., Stern, R.J., Baes, M., Sobolev, S.V. and Whattam, S.A., 2015. Plume-induced subduction initiation triggered Plate Tectonics on Earth. Nature, 527, 221–225.</p><p>Moore, W. B., Schubert, G. and Tackley, P., 1998, Three-dimensional simulations of plume-lithosphere interaction at the Hawaiian swell. Science, 279, 1008-1011.</p><p>Stern, R.J., and Dumitru, T.A., 2019, Eocene initiation of the Cascadia subduction zone: A second example of plume-induced subduction initiation? Geosphere, v. 15, 659-681.</p><p>Whattam, S.A. and Stern, R.J., 2014. Late Cretaceous plume-induced subduction initiation along the southern margin of the Caribbean and NW South America: The first documented example with implications for the onset of plate tectonics. Gondwana Research, 27, doi: 10.1016/j.gr.2014.07.011.</p>

An assessment of the megathrust earthquake potential of the Cascadia subduction zone

1988 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 844-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garry C. Rogers
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cascadia Subduction Zone ◽  
The South ◽  
The North ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Juan De Fuca

The active tectonic setting of the southwest coast of Canada and the Pacific northwest coast of the United states is dominated by the Cascadia subduction zone. The zone can be divided into four segments where oceanic lithosphere is converging independently with the North American plate: the Winona and the Explorer segments in the north, the larger Juan de Fuca segment that extends into both Canada and the United States, and the Gorda segment in the south. The oceanic lithosphere entering the Cascadia subduction zone in all segments is extremely young, less than 10 Ma. Of the other six zones around the Pacific where young (< 20 Ma) lithosphere is being subducted, five have had major thrust earthquakes (megathrust events) on the subduction interface in historic time. An estimation based on potential area of rupture gives maximum possible earthquake magnitudes along the Cascadia subducting margin of 8.2 for the Winona segment, 8.5 for the Explorer segment, 9.1 for the Juan de Fuca segment, and 8.3 for the South Gorda segment. Repeat times for maximum earthquakes, based on the ratios of seismic slip to total slip observed in other subduction zones, are predicted to be up to several hundred years for each segment, well beyond recorded history of the west coast, which began about 1800. Thus the lack of historical seismicity information provides a few constraints on the assessment of the seismic potential of the subduction zone.

scholarly journals On the self-regulating effect of grain size evolution in mantle convection models: Application to thermo-chemical piles

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Schierjott ◽  
Antoine Rozel ◽  
Paul Tackley
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Recovery Time ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
Shear Velocity ◽  
Large Temperature ◽  
Diffusion Creep ◽  
Parameter Study ◽  
Mantle Viscosity ◽  
Size Evolution ◽  
Dynamic Recrystallisation

Abstract. Seismic studies show two antipodal regions of lower shear velocity at the core-mantle boundary (CMB) called Large Low Shear Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs). They are thought to be thermally and chemically distinct, and therefore might have a different density and viscosity than the ambient mantle. Employing a composite rheology, using both diffusion and dislocation creep, we investigate the influence of grain size evolution on the dynamics of thermo-chemical piles in evolutionary geodynamic models. We consider a primordial layer and a time-dependent basalt production at the surface to dynamically form the present-day chemical heterogeneities, similar to earlier studies, e.g., by Nakagawa and Tackley (2014). We perform a parameter study which includes different densities and viscosities of the imposed primordial layer. Further, we test the influence of yield stress and parameters of the grain size evolution equation on the dynamics of piles and their interaction with the ambient mantle. Our results show that, relative to the ambient mantle, grain size is higher inside the piles, but due to the large temperature at the CMB, the viscosity is not remarkably different from ambient mantle viscosity. We further find, that although the average viscosity of the detected piles is buffered by both grain size and temperature, grain size dominates the viscosity development. However, depending on the convection regime, in the ambient mantle, viscosity can be dominated by temperature. All pile properties, except for temperature, show a self-regulating behaviour: although grain size, density and viscosity decrease when downwellings or overturns occur, these properties quickly recover and return to values prior to the downwelling. We compute the necessary recovery time and find, that it takes approximately 400 Myr for the properties to recover after a resurfacing event. Extrapolating to Earth-values, we estimate a much smaller recovery time. We observe that dynamic recrystallisation counteracts grain growth in the piles when the lithosphere is weakened and forms downwellings. Venus-type resurfacing episodes reduce the grain size in piles and ambient mantle to few millimetres. More continuous mobile-lid type downwellings limit the grain size to a centimetre. Consequently, we find that grain size-dependent viscosity does not increase the resistance of thermo-chemical piles to downgoing slabs. Mostly, piles deform in grain size- sensitive diffusion creep but they are not stiff enough to counteract the force of downwellings. Hence, we conclude that the location of subduction zones could be responsible for the location and stability of the thermo-chemical piles of the Earth because of dynamic recrystallisation.

Shallow-depth slab decarbonation prevents recharge of the deep carbon cycle

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonie Strobl ◽  
Andreas Beinlich ◽  
Markus Ohl ◽  
Oliver Plümper
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Cycle ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Concentration ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Aqueous Fluid ◽  
Shallow Depth ◽  
Plate Motion ◽  
The Earth

&lt;p&gt;Long-term oscillations of the Earth&amp;#8217;s atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and climate are intrinsically linked to tectonic plate motion controlling CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; uptake in rocks, their transport into the Earth&amp;#8217;s mantle and recycling back into the atmosphere by volcanic activity. In this long-term deep carbon cycle, the efficiency of mantle ingassing is controlled by the stability of carbon carrier phases at subduction zone pressure-temperature conditions, during deformation and their interaction with subduction zone dehydration fluids. However, the current understanding of carbonate stability under these conditions is controversial. This is reflected by studies predicting carbonate transport deep into the asthenospheric mantle [1, 2] in contrast to more recently postulated shallow-depth carbon release from subducting slabs [e.g. 3]. Some of this controversy is related to the lack of available field sites that allow for the quantification of subduction-related decarbonation and its driving force. Here we present novel observations on the release of carbon during subduction of previously carbonated, ultramafic, oceanic lithosphere. Our observations are based on a recently discovered, exceptionally well-exposed, outcrop in northern Norway [4] containing frozen-in decarbonation reaction textures at the km scale. Our observations and textural analyses indicate breakdown of magnesium carbonate and serpentine to secondary olivine at depths shallower than 20 km. Secondary olivine is present as up to fist-sized nodules pseudomorphically replacing magnesite and as veins delineating escape pathways for the carbon-bearing aqueous fluid. We present first field observations and reaction textures and will discuss implications for the efficiency of carbon transport into the Earth&amp;#8217;s mantle by subduction of carbonate-bearing oceanic lithosphere.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;[1] Kerrick, D.M. &amp; Connolly, J.A.D. (1998). Geology &lt;strong&gt;26&lt;/strong&gt;, 375-378.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;[2] Dasgupta, R. &amp; Hirschmann, M.M. (2010). EPSL &lt;strong&gt;298, &lt;/strong&gt;1-13.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;[3] Kelemen, P.B. &amp; Manning, C.E. (2015). PNAS &lt;strong&gt;112&lt;/strong&gt;, E3997-E4006.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;[4] Beinlich, A., Pl&amp;#252;mper, O., H&amp;#246;velmann, J., Austrheim, H. &amp; Jamtveit, B. (2012). Terra Nova &lt;strong&gt;24, &lt;/strong&gt;446-455.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals On the self-regulating effect of grain size evolution in mantle convection models: application to thermochemical piles

Solid Earth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 959-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Schierjott ◽  
Antoine Rozel ◽  
Paul Tackley
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Recovery Time ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
Shear Velocity ◽  
Dislocation Creep ◽  
Diffusion Creep ◽  
Lower Shear ◽  
Size Evolution ◽  
Dynamic Recrystallisation ◽  
Dependent Viscosity

Abstract. Seismic studies show two antipodal regions of lower shear velocity at the core–mantle boundary (CMB) called large low-shear-velocity provinces (LLSVPs). They are thought to be thermally and chemically distinct and therefore might have a different density and viscosity than the ambient mantle. Employing a composite rheology, using both diffusion and dislocation creep, we investigate the influence of grain size evolution on the dynamics of thermochemical piles in evolutionary geodynamic models. We consider a primordial layer and a time-dependent basalt production at the surface to dynamically form the present-day chemical heterogeneities, similar to earlier studies, e.g. by Nakagawa and Tackley (2014). Our results show that, relative to the ambient mantle, grain size is higher inside the piles, but, due to the high temperature at the CMB, the viscosity is not remarkably different from ambient mantle viscosity. We further find that although the average viscosity of the detected piles is buffered by both grain size and temperature, the viscosity is influenced predominantly by grain size. In the ambient mantle, however, depending on the convection regime, viscosity can also be predominantly controlled by temperature. All pile properties, except for temperature, show a self-regulating behaviour: although grain size and viscosity decrease when downwellings or overturns occur, these properties quickly recover and return to values prior to the downwelling. We compute the necessary recovery time and find that it takes approximately 400 Myr for the properties to recover after a resurfacing event. Extrapolating to Earth values, we estimate a much smaller recovery time. We observe that dynamic recrystallisation counteracts grain growth inside the piles when downwellings form. Venus-type resurfacing episodes reduce the grain size in piles and ambient mantle to a few millimetres. More continuous mobile-lid-type downwellings limit the grain size to a centimetre. Consequently, we find that grain-size-dependent viscosity does not increase the resistance of thermochemical piles to downgoing slabs. Mostly, piles deform in grain-size-sensitive diffusion creep, but they are not stiff enough to counteract the force of downwellings. Hence, we conclude that the location of subduction zones could be responsible for the location and stability of the thermochemical piles of the Earth because of dynamic recrystallisation.

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