Wide Versus Narrow Back‐Arc Rifting: Control of Subduction Velocity and Convective Back‐Arc Thinning

Erdős, Zoltán; Huismans, Ritske S.; Faccenna, Claudio

doi:10.1029/2021tc007086

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…In this work we seek to expand on previous efforts to understand the role of continental strength heterogeneities by exploring the effects of variations in continental margin and keel properties on the evolution of deformation, topographic signal, and basin formation in a 2-D numerical model of subduction with and without a free surface boundary condition. Expanding on the back-arc deformation studies for a homogeneous overriding plate by Balázs et al (2017), Wolf and Huismans (2019), Dasgupta et al (2021), and Erdős et al (2022) we show that continental deformation and back-arc extension can occur in both wide and narrow continental back-arcs, and is controlled to a large extent by the thickness, extent, and strength of the continental margin and the continental keel. The nature of this heterogeneity influences the extent, depth, and asymmetry of deformation and subsidence within the continental back-arc region, and the amount of trench retreat observed on the subducting plate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 63%

The Role of Continental Heterogeneity on the Evolution of Continental Margin Topography at Subduction Zones

Grima,

Becker

2023

Preprint

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The nature of the overriding plate plays a major role in shaping subduction zone processes. In particular, the highly heterogeneous continental lithosphere modulates intra-plate tectonics and the surface evolution of our planet. However, the role of continental heterogeneity is relatively under-explored for the dynamics of subduction models. We investigate the influence of rheological and density variations across the overriding plate on the evolution of continental lithosphere and slab dynamics in the upper mantle. We focus on the effects of variations in continental margin and keel properties on deformation, topographic signals, and basin formation. Our results show that the thickness, extent, and strength of the continental margin and subcontinental keel play a crucial role for the morphology and topography of the overriding plate, as well as the retreat of the subducting slab. We show that this lateral heterogeneity can directly influence the coupling between the subducting and overriding plate and determine the partitioning of plate velocities across the overriding plate. These findings suggest that back-arc extension and subsidence are not solely controlled by slab dynamics but are also influenced by continental margin and keel properties. Large extended back-arc regions, such as the Pannonian and Aegean basins, may result from fast slab rollback combined with a weak continental margin and a strong and extended continental keel. Narrow margins, like the Okinawa Trough in NE Japan, may indicate a comparatively stronger continental margin and weaker or smaller continental keel. Additionally, continental keel properties may affect the overall topography of the continental lithosphere, leading to uplift of the deformation front and the formation of intermontane basins.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 63%

The Role of Continental Heterogeneity on the Evolution of Continental Margin Topography at Subduction Zones

Grima,

Becker

2023

Preprint

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“…Onset of thermal subsidence is commonly triggered by (1) progressive thermal weakening of the crust (Erdős et al, 2022; Wu et al, 2022); and (2) crustal thinning (Currie et al, 2008). Crustal thinning can be driven by subduction‐related mantle flow (Alasino et al, 2022; Currie et al, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural and tectonic assessment of the western Huincul High, Neuquén Basin (Argentina)—The role of structural inheritance and mechanical stratigraphy in inversion systems

et al. 2023

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The Neuquén Basin is a major Mesozoic sedimentary depocentre located in the retroarc foreland of the Argentinian Andes. The basin hosts world renowned inversion systems that have been the target of georesource exploration for the last three decades. The Huincul High is a structurally and economically prominent ca. 270 km long, E–W trending feature that formed by the accretion of exotic Palaeozoic terranes, influencing subsequent Mesozoic deformation in the basin. Exploration in the Huincul High has been mainly focused on the shallow part of the inversion structures leaving a limited understanding of the deep structural architecture and early tectonic evolution, particularly in the western reaches of the high. This research reveals that Late Triassic extensional faulting was followed by widespread thermal subsidence in the Early Jurassic, as shown by the occurrence of an extensive ca. 60 km long, ca. 20 km wide, NE–SW‐trending, central depocentre. In the Early Jurassic, as contraction ensued across this regional sag basin, atypical inversion geometries were developed. These exhibited prominent thickening in the hanging‐wall and, strikingly, in the footwall of reactivated faults. The style of inversion was also markedly influenced by the mechanically weak stratigraphy of the thick, Lower Jurassic, Los Molles formation that promoted broad inversion folding, inhibited shortcut fault creation, and decoupled post inversion deformation from earlier faulting. Quantitative fault analysis suggests that the reactivated faults originated during the Late Triassic extensional phase as separate ca. 10 km long fault segments. The analysis also indicates that segmentation of extensional faults, as well as their orientation to the later contractional vector (SH), spatially dictated style and magnitude of inversion. This research highlights the critical role played by structural inheritance and mechanical stratigraphy in the development of inversion in the Neuquén Basin, which might be of relevance for characterising inversion systems elsewhere. This research also proposes an evolutionary model for the western reaches of the Huincul High that suggests crustal weakening and thermal sag in the Early Jurassic. Moreover, the model highlights a previously unknown late Early Cretaceous transtensional phase that overprints the main Early Jurassic–Early Cretaceous inversion.

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“…However, some models of continental collision completely ignore the presence of rifted margins by modeling an abrupt transition from continent to ocean (e.g., Magni et al., 2012; van Hunen & Allen, 2011). Other subduction models do incorporate a gradual transition from continent to ocean, but they do not discriminate between magma‐poor and magma‐rich margins nor discuss in details the effect that this transition has on subduction zone processes, such as topography, delamination and slab detachment (e.g., Balazs et al., 2022; Boonma et al., 2023; Duretz et al., 2011; Duretz et al., 2014; Duretz & Gerya, 2013; Erdős et al., 2022; Francois et al., 2014; Ueda et al., 2012). Importantly, the geometries and physical properties of rifted margins can be much more complex than a gradual transition (Kjøll, Galland, et al., 2019; Williams et al., 2019), and this complexity will be reflected in the subduction dynamics, suggesting the need to consider it in modeling studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Magma Poor and Magma Rich Rifted Margins on Continental Collision Dynamics

Turino,

Magni,

Kjøll

et al. 2023

JGR Solid Earth

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The transition between non‐rifted continental lithosphere and oceanic lithosphere in rifted margins can display a wide range of characteristics, depending on the regional tectonic evolution. The velocity and duration of the rifting process as well as the geodynamic setting influence the properties and geometry of the margins, which are often grouped into two main categories: magma‐poor and magma‐rich. We show how different types of rifted margins can influence the dynamics of continental collision, focusing on the time and depth of slab break‐off after collision and the fate of margin material. We find that rifted margins have a noticeable impact on subduction dynamics, as we observe large variability in slab break‐off times and depths. In particular, the presence of a rifted margin can delay slab break‐off to up to 60 Myr after the onset of collision. Our results show that a large portion of the weak crust of magma‐poor margins is likely to detach from the subducting plate and accrete to the upper plate, while the dense and strong mafic and ultramafic component of magma‐rich margins causes most of the margin to subduct and be lost into the mantle, leaving only a small fraction of transitional and oceanic crust at the surface. Therefore, the volume of accreted material is much larger when the margin is magma‐poor than magma‐rich, which is consistent with geological observations that fossil magma‐poor rifted margins are preserved in many mountain ranges, whereas remnants of magma‐rich rifted margins are scarce.

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Wide Versus Narrow Back‐Arc Rifting: Control of Subduction Velocity and Convective Back‐Arc Thinning

Cited by 7 publications

References 77 publications

The Role of Continental Heterogeneity on the Evolution of Continental Margin Topography at Subduction Zones

The Role of Continental Heterogeneity on the Evolution of Continental Margin Topography at Subduction Zones

Structural and tectonic assessment of the western Huincul High, Neuquén Basin (Argentina)—The role of structural inheritance and mechanical stratigraphy in inversion systems

The Effect of Magma Poor and Magma Rich Rifted Margins on Continental Collision Dynamics

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