Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 277-288 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Gondwana research |
| Volume | 98 |
| Early online date | 22 Jun 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2021 |
Abstract
Impingement of a hot buoyant mantle plume head on the lithosphere is one of the few scenarios that can initiate a new subduction zone without requiring any pre-existing weak zones. This mechanism can start subduction and plate tectonics on a stagnant lid and can also operate during active plate tectonics where plume-lithosphere interactions is likely to be affected by plate motion. In this study, we explore the influence of plate motion on lithospheric response to plume head-lithosphere interaction including the effect of magmatic weakening of lithosphere. Using 3d thermo-mechanical models we show that the arrival of a new plume beneath the lithosphere can either (1) break the lithosphere and initiate subduction, (2) penetrate the lithosphere without subduction initiation, or (3) spread asymmetrically below the lithosphere. Outcomes indicate that lithospheric strength and plume buoyancy control plume penetration through the lithosphere whereas the plate speed has a subordinate influence on this process. However, plate motion may affect the geometry and dynamics of plume-lithosphere interaction by promoting asymmetry in the subduction zone shape. When a sufficiently buoyant plume hits a young but subductable moving lithosphere, a single-slab modern-style subduction zone can form instead of multiple subduction zones predicted by stagnant lid models. In the case of subduction initiation of older moving oceanic lithosphere, asymmetrical cylindrical subduction is promoted instead of more symmetrical stagnant lid subduction. We propose that the eastward motion of the Farallon plate in Late Cretaceous time could have played a key role in forming one-sided subduction along the southern and western margin of the Caribbean and NW South America.
Keywords
- Lithospheric strength, Numerical models, Plate motion, Plume buoyancy, Plume-induced subduction initiation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- Geology
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In: Gondwana research, Vol. 98, 10.2021, p. 277-288.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Plate motion and plume-induced subduction initiation
AU - Baes, Marzieh
AU - Sobolev, Stephan
AU - Gerya, Taras
AU - Stern, Robert
AU - Brune, Sascha
N1 - Funding Information: This study has been funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG) (Projects BR 5815/1-1 and BA 6613/2-1). The computations of this work was supported by the North-German Supercomputing Alliance (HLRN). We thank Zhong-Hai Li and Alexander Koptev for their careful reading of the manuscript and their constructive remarks.
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - Impingement of a hot buoyant mantle plume head on the lithosphere is one of the few scenarios that can initiate a new subduction zone without requiring any pre-existing weak zones. This mechanism can start subduction and plate tectonics on a stagnant lid and can also operate during active plate tectonics where plume-lithosphere interactions is likely to be affected by plate motion. In this study, we explore the influence of plate motion on lithospheric response to plume head-lithosphere interaction including the effect of magmatic weakening of lithosphere. Using 3d thermo-mechanical models we show that the arrival of a new plume beneath the lithosphere can either (1) break the lithosphere and initiate subduction, (2) penetrate the lithosphere without subduction initiation, or (3) spread asymmetrically below the lithosphere. Outcomes indicate that lithospheric strength and plume buoyancy control plume penetration through the lithosphere whereas the plate speed has a subordinate influence on this process. However, plate motion may affect the geometry and dynamics of plume-lithosphere interaction by promoting asymmetry in the subduction zone shape. When a sufficiently buoyant plume hits a young but subductable moving lithosphere, a single-slab modern-style subduction zone can form instead of multiple subduction zones predicted by stagnant lid models. In the case of subduction initiation of older moving oceanic lithosphere, asymmetrical cylindrical subduction is promoted instead of more symmetrical stagnant lid subduction. We propose that the eastward motion of the Farallon plate in Late Cretaceous time could have played a key role in forming one-sided subduction along the southern and western margin of the Caribbean and NW South America.
AB - Impingement of a hot buoyant mantle plume head on the lithosphere is one of the few scenarios that can initiate a new subduction zone without requiring any pre-existing weak zones. This mechanism can start subduction and plate tectonics on a stagnant lid and can also operate during active plate tectonics where plume-lithosphere interactions is likely to be affected by plate motion. In this study, we explore the influence of plate motion on lithospheric response to plume head-lithosphere interaction including the effect of magmatic weakening of lithosphere. Using 3d thermo-mechanical models we show that the arrival of a new plume beneath the lithosphere can either (1) break the lithosphere and initiate subduction, (2) penetrate the lithosphere without subduction initiation, or (3) spread asymmetrically below the lithosphere. Outcomes indicate that lithospheric strength and plume buoyancy control plume penetration through the lithosphere whereas the plate speed has a subordinate influence on this process. However, plate motion may affect the geometry and dynamics of plume-lithosphere interaction by promoting asymmetry in the subduction zone shape. When a sufficiently buoyant plume hits a young but subductable moving lithosphere, a single-slab modern-style subduction zone can form instead of multiple subduction zones predicted by stagnant lid models. In the case of subduction initiation of older moving oceanic lithosphere, asymmetrical cylindrical subduction is promoted instead of more symmetrical stagnant lid subduction. We propose that the eastward motion of the Farallon plate in Late Cretaceous time could have played a key role in forming one-sided subduction along the southern and western margin of the Caribbean and NW South America.
KW - Lithospheric strength
KW - Numerical models
KW - Plate motion
KW - Plume buoyancy
KW - Plume-induced subduction initiation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108862913&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.gr.2021.06.007
DO - 10.1016/j.gr.2021.06.007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85108862913
VL - 98
SP - 277
EP - 288
JO - Gondwana research
JF - Gondwana research
SN - 1342-937X
ER -