Shape and origin of the East-Alpine slab constrained by the ALPASS teleseismic model

Reconstructing the Alps–Carpathians–Dinarides as a key to understanding switches in subduction polarity, slab gaps and surface motion

“…4a-c): one beneath the Central and Western Alps that dips to the southeast to a depth of about 200 km and is consistent with the classical view of south-to southeast-directed subduction of European lithosphere (e.g., Schmid et al 1996), and another beneath the Eastern Alps that is oriented the wrong-way for European subduction; instead, it dips northward to a depth of at least 210 km or more (Dando et al 2011;Mitterbauer et al 2011). Controversy surrounds the proposed northward dip of the latter anomaly, partly due to its incompatibility with conventional notions of southward European subduction beneath the Alps, and partly because of the ambiguity of tomographic images in this region (Mitterbauer et al 2011). Nevertheless, the generally northward dip of the +V p Eastern Alps anomaly in Lippitsch et al (2003) is regarded as a robust feature because their model is unique in incorporating a high-resolution 3D model of crustal velocities specific to the Alps.…”

“…If the anomalous length and shape of the eastern end of the Eastern Alps slab (Fig. B1c) are real rather than mere artifacts of tomography, then a possible explanation is that the slab stretched and deformed (Mitterbauer et al 2011). This deformation occurred either under its own weight and/ or as it was pulled or sucked down by the adjacent slab of European lithosphere that foundered and then tore off to the northeast during northeastward Miocene roll-back subduction in the Western Carpathians.…”

“…4d, Bijwaard and Spakman 2000;Piromallo and Morelli 2003;Spakman and Wortel 2004;Zhu et al 2012). Alternatively, Mitterbauer et al (2011) proposed that the +V p anomaly beneath the Eastern Alps is vertical to steeply northeast-dipping and represents European lithosphere that originally subducted to the south, but was subsequently steepened and overturned. ig.…”

Domains of Archean mantle lithosphere deciphered by seismic anisotropy – inferences from the LAPNET array in northern Fennoscandia

“…Even if our data is not complete, the P-wave residual set is well comparable, if not larger, with number of events in several recent regional tomography studies of the upper mantle (e.g., Ritter et al, 2001;Shomali et al, 2002Shomali et al, , 2006Eken et al, 2007;Mitterbauer et al, 2011). To study P-wave travel-time deviations, we picked arrival times on individual recordings simulating the WWSSN response, using of recently developed semiautomatic software based on the Seismic Handler software (Stammler, 1993).…”

The 3D conductive thermal field of the North Alpine Foreland Basin: influence of the deep structure and the adjacent European Alps

“…Brückl et al 2010), ALPASS (e.g. Mitterbauer et al 2011)]. Thus, the model resolves six lithostratigraphic units in the sedimentary part of the basin [the Nördlinger Ries Impact structure, the Folded Molasse as well as the Foreland Molasse Sediments, the Cretaceous, the Upper Jurassic (Malm), the Middle and Lower Jurassic and Triassic sediments summarized in one unit called the PreMalm Sediments] and two units in the Alps (the Alpine Body and the Tauern Body).…”