Dynamic uplift during slab flattening

Dávila, Federico M.; Lithgow‐Bertelloni, Carolina

doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2015.05.026

Cited by 51 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Compositional buoyancy of a slab segment, which could result in a positively buoyant slab, would be yet another possibility to reduce a deep back‐arc depression. Such buoyant slab segments then might foster an opposed topographic uplift on the upper plate [ Dávila and Lithgow‐Bertelloni , ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The dynamical control of subduction parameters on surface topography

Crameri

Lithgow‐Bertelloni

Tackley

2017

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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The long‐wavelength surface deflection of Earth's outermost rocky shell is mainly controlled by large‐scale dynamic processes like isostasy or mantle flow. The largest topographic amplitudes are therefore observed at plate boundaries due to the presence of large thermal heterogeneities and strong tectonic forces. Distinct vertical surface deflections are particularly apparent at convergent plate boundaries mostly due to the convergence and asymmetric sinking of the plates. Having a mantle convection model with a free surface that is able to reproduce both realistic single‐sided subduction and long‐wavelength surface topography self‐consistently, we are now able to better investigate this interaction. We separate the topographic signal into distinct features and quantify the individual topographic contribution of several controlling subduction parameters. Results are diagnosed by splitting the topographic signal into isostatic and residual components, and by considering various physical aspects like viscous dissipation during plate bending. Performing several systematic suites of experiments, we are then able to quantify the topographic impact of the buoyancy, rheology, and geometry of the subduction‐zone system to each and every topographic feature at a subduction zone and to provide corresponding scaling laws. We identify slab dip and, slightly less importantly, slab buoyancy as the major agents controlling surface topography at subduction zones on Earth. Only the island‐arc high and the back‐arc depression extent are mainly controlled by plate strength. Overall, his modeling study sets the basis to better constrain deep‐seated mantle structures and their physical properties via the observed surface topography on present‐day Earth and back through time.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The dynamical control of subduction parameters on surface topography

Crameri

Lithgow‐Bertelloni

Tackley

2017

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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“…Considerable attention has been paid to the effects of slab flattening [ Dávila et al ., ; Eakin et al ., ; Dávila and Lithgow‐Bertelloni , ]. For example, Dávila and Lithgow‐Bertelloni [] suggest that the spatial pattern of dynamic topography along the Andean foreland is caused by changes in slab geometry between Early Miocene times and the present‐day.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Eakin et al . [] and Dávila and Lithgow‐Bertelloni [] attribute dynamic topography to the Peruvian flat slab. They suggest that transition from normal to flat subduction in Mid‐Late Miocene times yielded significant dynamic uplift across the Andes (directly above the flat slab) and relative dynamic subsidence away from the trench that only affects the distal Andean foreland and western Amazonia.…”

Section: Regional Geologic Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Spatial and temporal uplift history of South America from calibrated drainage analysis

Tribaldos

White

Hoggard

2017

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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A multidisciplinary approach is used to analyze the Cenozoic uplift history of South America. Residual depth anomalies of oceanic crust abutting this continent help to determine the pattern of present‐day dynamic topography. Admittance analysis and crustal thickness measurements indicate that the elastic thickness of the Borborema and Altiplano regions is ≤10 km with evidence for sub‐plate support at longer wavelengths. A drainage inventory of 1827 river profiles is assembled and used to investigate landscape development. Linear inverse modeling enables river profiles to be fitted as a function of the spatial and temporal history of regional uplift. Erosional parameters are calibrated using observations from the Borborema Plateau and tested against continent‐wide stratigraphic and thermochronologic constraints. Our results predict that two phases of regional uplift of the Altiplano plateau occurred in Neogene times. Regional uplift of the southern Patagonian Andes also appears to have occurred in Early Miocene times. The consistency between observed and predicted histories for the Borborema, Altiplano, and Patagonian plateaux implies that drainage networks record coherent signals that are amenable to simple modeling strategies. Finally, the predicted pattern of incision across the Amazon catchment constrains solid sedimentary flux at the Foz do Amazonas. Observed and calculated flux estimates match, suggesting that erosion and deposition were triggered by regional Andean uplift during Miocene times.

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“…These combined observations show that during Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic times the Western Interior Seaway retreated and substantial parts of western North America were uplifted (Dickinson et al., ; Roberts & Kirschbaum, ). The resultant facies change caused by retreat of this seaway has been linked with variable sedimentary flux, changing styles of subduction, hydration of the lower crust, and dynamic support (e.g., Dávila & Lithgow‐Bertelloni, ; Humphreys et al., ; Kauffman & Caldwell, ; Levandowski et al., ). During this period, minor tectonic shortening occurred across the Colorado Plateau (Spencer, ).…”

Section: General Stratigraphic Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A burgeoning number of geodynamic models have been used to predict mantle flow patterns beneath the continent with a view to constraining the history of dynamic topography (e.g., Dávila & Lithgow-Bertelloni, 2015;Lithgow-Bertelloni & Gurnis, 1997;Liu et al, 2008;Mitrovica et al, 1989;Spasojević & Gurnis, 2012). These models estimate that transient dynamic topography has amplitudes of up to ±2 km and wavelengths of hundreds to thousands of kilometers (see, e.g., Flament et al, 2015).…”

Section: Epeirogeny and The Role Of Dynamic Supportmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continental‐Scale Landscape Evolution: A History of North American Topography

2019

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The generation and evolution of continental topography are fundamental geologic and geomorphic concerns. In particular, the history of landscape development might contain useful information about the spatiotemporal evolution of deep Earth processes, such as mantle convection. A significant challenge is to generate observations and theoretical predictions of sufficient fidelity to enable landscape evolution to be constrained at scales of interest. Here, we combine substantial inventories of stratigraphic and geomorphic observations with inverse and forward modeling approaches to determine how the North American landscape evolved. First, stratigraphic markers are used to estimate postdepositional regional uplift. Present‐day elevations of these deposits demonstrate that >2 km of long‐wavelength surface uplift centered on the Colorado‐Rocky‐Mountain plateaus occurred in Cenozoic times. Second, to bridge the gaps between these measurements, an inverse modeling scheme is used to calculate the smoothest spatiotemporal pattern of rock uplift rate that yields the smallest misfit between 4,161 observed and calculated longitudinal river profiles. Our results suggest that Cenozoic regional uplift occurred in a series of stages, in agreement with independent stratigraphic observations. Finally, a landscape evolution model driven by this calculated rock uplift history is used to determine drainage patterns, denudation, and sedimentary flux from Late Cretaceous times until the present day. These patterns are broadly consistent with stratigraphic and thermochronologic observations. We conclude that a calibrated inverse modeling strategy can be used to reliably extract the temporal and spatial evolution of the North American landscape at geodynamically useful scales.

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Dynamic uplift during slab flattening

Cited by 51 publications

References 51 publications

The dynamical control of subduction parameters on surface topography

The dynamical control of subduction parameters on surface topography

Spatial and temporal uplift history of South America from calibrated drainage analysis

Continental‐Scale Landscape Evolution: A History of North American Topography

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