Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Min Li, Song Huang, Tianyao Hao, Miao Dong, Ya Xu, Jian Zhang, Qingyu He, Gui Fang
Summary: This paper reviews the initiation models of Neogene subduction in the western Pacific, including polarity-reversal, induced subduction re-initiation, and non-inherited subduction initiation. It also collates the parameters of different subduction zones to form five categories: basic features, subducting plate features, upper plate features, kinematic features, and subsequent activity. The regularity of the subduction processes, the specificity of different subduction cases, and the possible constraints between subduction initiation types and subduction zone parameters are discussed and analyzed. The compiled dataset of subduction zone parameters can provide data support for related studies.
SCIENCE CHINA-EARTH SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
Ling Chen, Limei Tang, Jichao Yang, Xiaohu Li, Wei Wang, Fengyou Chu, Jie Zhang
Summary: The lava rocks from the Yap Trench in the western Pacific exhibit geochemical characteristics similar to backarc basin basalt (BABB) and mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), suggesting they were formed as a result of mantle upwelling and decompression melting at a spreading center. These rocks appear to have a more fertile mantle source and a less pronounced subduction component compared to typical forearc lavas, indicating they are not products of forearc mantle decompression melting. Collision between the Caroline Ridge and the Yap Trench was suggested to have played a crucial role in the evolution of the Yap subduction system, leading to the cessation of Yap Arc magmatism and the formation of volcanic rocks with lower subduction signature.
ACTA OCEANOLOGICA SINICA
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Mireia Peral, Manel Fernandez, Jaume Verges, Sergio Zlotnik, Ivone Jimenez-Munt
Summary: The geodynamic evolution of the Western Mediterranean during the closure of the Ligurian-Tethys ocean is investigated using a new 3D numerical model. The model suggests that the subduction polarity changes due to the existance of a transform zone between the Alboran-Tethys and Algerian-Tethys plate segments. The results of the model are consistent with geological observations.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Ben S. Knight, J. Huw Davies, Fabio A. Capitanio
Summary: This study investigates the early stages of subduction using a numerical model, revealing the relationships between physical processes and parameters in the subduction zone, providing a detailed understanding of subduction processes.
GEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Nikola Stankovic, Taras Gerya, Vesna Cvetkov, Vladica Cvetkovic
Summary: The ophiolites of the Balkan Peninsula, including the Western and Eastern Vardar ophiolites, are believed to have formed due to the closure of the Vardar branch of the Tethys Ocean. This study uses numerical modeling to test the hypothesis that a single intra-oceanic subduction can explain the origin and emplacement of both ophiolite belts. The results suggest that the subduction can account for the westward obduction of the Western Vardar ophiolites and the complex active margin processes along the western rim of the European plate.
Article
Oceanography
Alan J. Jamieson, Heather A. Stewart
Summary: This study focuses on the deep-sea topography of the Northwest Pacific Ocean, revealing that the Mariana Trench is actually made up of five isolated areas and the Japan Trench forms one continuous hadal habitat. By evaluating the frequency and distribution of smaller features, it was found that the total area of depths exceeding 6000 meters in the northwest Pacific is considerably larger than previously anticipated.
PROGRESS IN OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Maryam Akbarzadeh Aghdam, Abdolreza Ghods, Farhad Sobouti, Khalil Motaghi, Keith Priestley, Mohammad Enayat
Summary: The Makran subduction zone is difficult to monitor due to limited seismic activity, but a temporary seismic network was installed to investigate the relationship between different regions and detect seismicity. The observed seismicity suggests the presence of structural boundaries and seismically inactive areas.
JOURNAL OF ASIAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Guoliang Zhang, Junhua Yao, Feng Xu, Tao Wu, Chun-Feng Li, Shuai Wang
Summary: This study provides mineralogical and geochemical analyses of basalts and serpentinized peridotites from the Mussau Trench. The results show that the basalts have geochemical characteristics different from typical arc lavas, possibly indicating formation along a transform fault in the Caroline Plate. The serpentinized peridotites in the Mussau Trench have distinct compositions compared to other regions, suggesting they originated from the lithosphere of the Caroline Plate. The estimated temperature and pressure indicate serpentinization by high-temperature fluids derived from the subducted slab. The serpentinized peridotites and basalts in the Mussau Trench are important for understanding the processes of intra-oceanic subduction initiation.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Florian Millet, Stephane Rondenay, Thomas Bodin, Carl Tape
Summary: The volcanic activity in Alaska may be linked to the subduction of the Yakutat terrane, and a new seismic study provides insights into the boundaries and transitions between the Pacific plate and Yakutat terrane. The study highlights the sharp lateral boundary and gradual transition of the slab structure, suggesting that the crust is partially uneclogitized at certain depths in both slabs.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Guoliang Zhang, Ji Zhang, Hayden Dalton, David Phillips
Summary: The formation of western Pacific basins and arcs during the Cenozoic is still not fully understood. This study investigates volcanic rocks from the Gagua Ridge and finds that they have arc affinity and are likely derived from melting of subducted sediments. The isotopic compositions of these rocks suggest the presence of Pacific-type mantle in the western Pacific during the Early Cretaceous.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Madjid Abbasi, Abdolreza Ghods, Mahdi Najafi, Saeed Abbasy, Meysam Amiri, Esmaeil Shabanian, Mohanna Kheradmandi, Jamal Asgari
Summary: The Makran Subduction Zone is divided into western and eastern regions, with the majority of megathrust earthquakes occurring in the eastern region. This study investigates why the western region experiences a lack of megathrust earthquakes and lower seismicity rate compared to the eastern region. By analyzing GPS data, the researchers found that the coupling between the subducting Arabian oceanic plate and the overriding plate in the western region is significantly weaker than in the eastern region. Furthermore, the rate of strain accumulation within the megathrust zone in the western region is much smaller than in the eastern region. The study also reveals a right-lateral motion across the transition zone between the Zagros and Makran. These findings suggest a lower earthquake hazard in the western Makran due to the northward movement of the overriding Lut block and the reduced seismic coupling between the subducting and overriding plates, while indicating a higher earthquake hazard in the transition zone between the Zagros and Makran.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Dongyang Liu, Liang Zhao, Anne Paul, Huaiyu Yuan, Stefano Solarino, Coralie Aubert, Silvia Pondrelli, Simone Salimbeni, Elena Eva, Marco G. Malusa, Stephane Guillot
Summary: By studying the mantle transition zone structure in the Western Alps using P-wave receiver functions, it was found that the MTZ thickened by about 40 km under the Western Alps and Po Plain, associated with uplift and depression caused by the 410-km and 660-km discontinuities. The thick MTZ was attributed to the subduction of the Alpine slab and remnants of subducted oceanic lithosphere, providing evidence of the subduction depth of the Western Alps slab.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Florian Petersen, Dietrich Lange, Bo Ma, Ingo Grevemeyer, Jacob Geersen, Dirk Klaeschen, Eduardo Contreras-Reyes, Sergio Barrientos, Anne M. Trehu, Emilio Vera, Heidrun Kopp
Summary: The aftershock distribution of the 2014 Mw 8.1 Iquique earthquake offshore northern Chile suggests that seismic activity updip of the main earthquake area reflects active subduction erosion processes. The lack of sediment accretion and subduction erosion over millions of years has resulted in a very weak and aseismic frontal wedge. This study links shallow subduction zone seismicity to subduction erosion processes controlling the evolution of the overriding plate.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mingjun Zhan, Guoliang Zhang
Summary: Studies suggest that high-Mg and K-rich andesitic to rhyolitic arc volcanism in the cold subduction system may be derived from interactions during sediment diapirism. High-pressure experiments show that decarbonation during these interactions can produce melts with elevated MgO, explaining the origin of these volcanic rocks in the typical cold subduction zone.
GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Yuan-Ru Qu, Sheng-Ao Liu, Vincent Busigny, Ze-Zhou Wang, Fang-Zhen Teng
Summary: Carbonate-silicate interaction in subduction channels affects the properties of subducting carbon and the fate of carbonates in subduction zones. Geochemical evidence for this interaction is limited, but zinc isotopes provide a potential way to investigate it. The study shows that carbonate components in sediments can be retained at depths below 90 km in subduction zones, and the zinc isotopes can serve as a proxy for the storage depth of subducting carbonates.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Crelia Padron, Frauke Klingelhoefer, Boris Marcaillou, Jean-Frederic Lebrun, Serge Lallemand, Clement Garrocq, Mireille Laigle, Walter R. Roest, Marie-Odile Beslier, Laure Schenini, David Graindorge, Aurelien Gay, Franck Audemard, Philippe Munch
Summary: The Grenada back-arc basin is located between the Aves Ridge and Lesser Antilles Arc, with varying sedimentary cover thickness and velocity structures in different parts of the basin. The opening of the basin likely proceeded in a direction oblique to the main convergence, with widespread volcanism accompanying the process. More research is needed to explore the direction of opening and the extent of the oceanic-type crust underneath the modern island arc in the southeastern part of the basin.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2021)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jean-Jacques Cornee, Philippe Munch, Melody Philippon, Marcelle BouDagher-Fadel, Frederic Quillevere, Mihaela Melinte-Dobrinescu, Jean-Frederic Lebrun, Aurelien Gay, Solene Meyer, Leny Montheil, Serge Lallemand, Boris Marcaillou, Muriel Laurencin, Lucie Legendre, Clement Garrocq, Milton Boucard, Marie-Odile Beslier, Mireille Laigle, Laure Schenini, Pierre-Henri Fabre, Pierre-Olivier Antoine, Laurent Marivaux
Summary: Our study reconstructs the palaeogeography of the northern part of the Lesser Antilles to analyze potential emerged areas during the Cenozoic era, allowing for terrestrial faunal dispersals between South America and the Greater Antilles. It reveals sequences of uplift and emergence during specific periods, indicating the existence of episodic mega-islands and transient terrestrial connections between different regions.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geology
Shengping Qian, Xiaozhi Zhang, Jonny Wu, Serge Lallemand, Alexander R. L. Nichols, Chiyue Huang, Daniel P. Miggins, Huaiyang Zhou
Summary: The tectonic history of the Philippine Sea plate and the geochemical data from lavas in the Gagua Ridge are essential in understanding the formation and evolution of the Huatung Basin in early Cretaceous. The presence of continental material in the GR basement and the transport of continental slivers from the Cathaysian block to Southeast Asia suggest a more complex tectonic history in the region. It is inferred that the Huatung Basin is a remnant of a Mesozoic-aged ocean basin that dispersed from southern China during the Cretaceous.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
D. Graham Pearson, James M. Scott, Jingao Liu, Andrew Schaeffer, Lawrence Hongliang Wang, Jeroen van Hunen, Kristoffer Szilas, Thomas Chacko, Peter B. Kelemen
Summary: Cratons are the oldest parts of Earth's continents, and the key to their formation and preservation lies in understanding how and when the thick, strong mantle roots beneath these regions formed and evolved.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benedikt Braszus, Saskia Goes, Rob Allen, Andreas Rietbrock, Jenny Collier, Nick Harmon, Tim Henstock, Stephen Hicks, Catherine A. Rychert, Ben Maunder, Jeroen van Hunen, Lidong Bie, Jon Blundy, George Cooper, Richard Davy, J. Michael Kendall, Colin Macpherson, Jamie Wilkinson, Marjorie Wilson
Summary: Researchers used seismic imaging to locate subducted plates in the Caribbean region, revealing the subduction history of different ages and accumulation patterns at various depths, as well as uncovering significant geological events in the evolution of the plates. New ocean-bottom seismometer data from the Lesser Antilles provided insights into the subducted spreading centers and faults, enhancing the understanding of Caribbean plate tectonic evolution.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Guozheng Sun, Shuwen Liu, Peter A. Cawood, Ming Tang, Jeroen van Hunen, Lei Gao, Yalu Hu, Fangyang Hu
Summary: Constraining the thickness and geothermal gradient of Archean continental crust is crucial for understanding the geodynamic regimes of the early Earth. By integrating experimental results and petrochemical data, temporal-spatial variations in thickness, geothermal gradient, and basal heat flow can be established, providing insights into cooling mantle potential temperature and changing geodynamic regimes over time.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Serge Lallemand, Diane Arcay
Summary: The study explores subduction initiation during the Cenozoic and finds that new subduction zones regularly form with a success rate of over 70%, mainly at transition areas between ocean and continent, plateau, or volcanic arc. The success of the process relies on lithospheric forces, especially in the early stages.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. Gay, C. Padron, S. Meyer, D. Beaufort, E. Oliot, S. Lallemand, B. Marcaillou, M. Philippon, J-J Cornee, E. Audemard, J-F Lebrun, F. Klingelhoefer, B. Mercier de Lepinay, P. Munch, C. Garrocq, M. Boucard, L. Schenini
Summary: Based on seismic profiles, multibeam data, and seabed grab cores acquired during the Garanti cruise in 2017, large seabed giant polygons were identified in the Grenada basin, representing the top part of an active polygonal fault system. These polygons are likely linked to volumetric contraction of sediments and creep deformation.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
N. G. Cerpa, R. Hassani, D. Arcay, S. Lallemand, C. Garrocq, M. Philippon, J-J Cornee, P. Munch, F. Garel, B. Marcaillou, B. Mercier de Lepinay, J. -F Lebrun
Summary: Recent studies have shown a peculiar period of tectonic duality in the Lesser Antilles subduction zone, with rifting and seafloor spreading in the south and compression-to-transpression in the north. The mechanism for this spatial variation in tectonic regimes and its evolution through time remains to be established.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nicholas Schliffke, Jeroen van Hunen, Mark B. Allen, Valentina Magni, Frederic Gueydan
Summary: Spreading centre jumps are a common feature of oceanic back-arc basins. This study presents 3D numerical models showing that these jumps can occur naturally in a homogeneous subduction system without any trigger event. The distance between the trench and spreading centre plays a key role in determining when and where the jumps occur, with the ratio of transform fault strength to overriding plate strength controlling the process.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Ana M. Negredo, Jeroen van Hunen, Juan Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Javier Fullea
Summary: The origin and evolution of the Canary Islands hotspot are still a matter of debate. In addition to the mantle plume hypothesis, the Edge Driven Convection (EDC) mechanism has been proposed as a possible mechanism. Numerical simulations in this study show that models only considering EDC require distinct craton edges and predict narrow areas of partial melting. Models with the ascent of an upper-mantle plume result in asymmetric mantle flow patterns and a westward decrease in the age of the islands, in line with observations. Therefore, laterally moving plumes related to lithospheric heterogeneities could explain the discrepancies between hotspot rates and plate velocities for the Canary Islands hotspot.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Charitra Jain, Antoine B. Rozel, Jeroen van Hunen, Emily J. Chin, Antonio Manjon-Cabeza Cordoba
Summary: Geophysical, geochemical, and geological investigations have linked the stable behavior of Earth's continents to the presence of Archean cratonic roots, likely composed of melt-depleted peridotite. Dynamic models and petrological models offer insights into the formation of cratons, while global thermochemical models driven by gravity demonstrate a self-consistent way for cratonic roots formation to occur naturally.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
I. Menichelli, F. Corbi, S. Brizzi, E. van Rijsingen, S. Lallemand, F. Funiciello
Summary: Analog models were used to study the influence of a single seamount on megathrust earthquakes. The results showed that the seamount acted as a barrier, reducing recurrence time, interseismic coupling, and fault strength.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Thomas B. Phillips, John B. Naliboff, Ken J. W. McCaffrey, Sophie Pan, Jeroen van Hunen, Malte Froemchen
Summary: This study investigates how pre-rift upper-crustal strength variations influence the physiography of rift systems using 3D thermo-mechanical models. The results show that strain localizes in weak crustal domains, forming well-established fault networks, while strong domains exhibit uniform strain. These findings have important implications for understanding the development of rift systems worldwide.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Boris Marcaillou, Frauke Klingelhoefer, Muriel Laurencin, Jean-Frederic Lebrun, Mireille Laigle, Serge Lallemand, Laure Schenini, Aurelien Gay, Milton Boucard, Kingsley Ezenwaka, David Graindorge
Summary: Seismic and bathymetric data from the Northeastern Lesser Antilles Subduction Zone reveal a unique tectonic fabric characterized by sequences of Ridgeward-Dipping Reflectors, which may have been formed during the early stages of exhumation. Plate bending near the trench could have reactivated this fabric, enabling deep fluid circulation and serpentinization of basement rocks. Detachment faults in the oceanic basement at this subduction zone could be responsible for controlling reduced interplate seismicity through deep fluid circulation and serpentinization.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Lingyu Zhang, Kristoffer Szilas
Summary: This study presents new petrological and geochemical data for the Narssaq Ultramafic Body (NUB) in the Itsaq Gneiss Complex of SW Greenland. The results indicate that the ultramafic rocks of NUB are not mantle residues, but instead represent crustal cumulates derived from high-Mg magmas.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Rong Xu, Sarah Lambart, Oliver Nebel, Ming Li, Zhongjie Bai, Junbo Zhang, Ganglan Zhang, Jianfeng Gao, Hong Zhong, Yongsheng Liu
Summary: This study investigated the iron isotope compositions of Cenozoic basalts in Southeast China, finding significant variations related to different types of basalts and their respective sources.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
C. J. Ebinger, Miriam C. Reiss, Ian Bastow, Mary M. Karanja
Summary: The East African rift system is formed above mantle upwellings and the formation of rifts is related to lithospheric thinning and magmatic activity. The amount of splitting varies spatially and the fast axes are predominantly parallel to the orientation of the rifts. Thick lithospheric modules have less splitting and different orientations, which may indicate mantle plume flow. Splitting rotates and increases in strength as it enters the rift zones, suggesting that the anisotropy is mainly present at shallow depths.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Correction
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Ekaterina Rojas-Kolomiets, Owen Jensen, Michael Bizimis, Gene Yogodzinski, Lukas Ackerman
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Robert W. Nicklas, Igor S. Puchtel, Ethan F. Baxter
Summary: Oxygen fugacity is a fundamental parameter for understanding redox processes in igneous systems. This study compares the Fe-XANES oxybarometry method with the V-in-olivine method for evaluating fO(2) in MORB lavas. The results show that the V-in-olivine method is not applicable to samples with low MgO content, and that the majority of Archean komatiite sources have lower fO(2) than modern MORB.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Chunfei Chen, Stephen F. Foley, Sebastian Tappe, Huange Ren, Lanping Feng, Yongsheng Liu
Summary: The volatile components CO2 and H2O play a major role in mantle melting and heterogeneity. In this study, Ca isotopes were used to trace the lithological heterogeneity in alkaline magmatic rocks. The results revealed the presence of K-richterite and carbonate components as the source of alkaline magmas with low delta 44/40Ca values. These findings highlight the importance of Ca isotopes as a robust tracer of lithological variation caused by volatiles in the Earth's upper mantle.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Timothee Jautzy, Gilles Rixhon, Regis Braucher, Romain Delunel, Pierre G. Valla, Laurent Schmitt, Aster Team
Summary: Although the current approach to estimate catchment-wide denudation rates using only 10Be concentrations has made significant progress in geomorphology, this study argues for the inclusion of 26Al measurements and testing of steady-state assumptions in slow eroding, formerly glaciated landscapes. The study conducted measurements of both 10Be and 26Al in stream sediments from the Vosges Massif in France and found that elevation, slope, channel steepness, and precipitation were the primary factors controlling denudation rates. The study also revealed a significant relationship between the extent of past glaciation and the cosmogenic (un-)steadiness in the stream sediments.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Erik van der Wiel, Douwe J. J. van Hinsbergen, Cedric Thieulot, Wim Spakman
Summary: Numerical models of Earth's mantle dynamics can predict the vigour and mixing of mantle flow, and the average slab sinking rates are an unexplored parameter that can provide intrinsic information on these characteristics. Through numerical experiments, it has been found that slab sinking rates are strongly correlated with mantle convection and mixing, and may explain geochemical observations from hotspot volcanoes.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)