scholarly journals Intraplate volcanism triggered by bursts in slab flux

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (51) ◽  
pp. eabd0953
Author(s):  
Ben R. Mather ◽  
R. Dietmar Müller ◽  
Maria Seton ◽  
Saskia Ruttor ◽  
Oliver Nebel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Isotope Geochemistry ◽  
Plate Boundary ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Age Progression ◽  
Intraplate Volcanism ◽  
Enriched Mantle ◽  
Eastern Australia

Long-lived, widespread intraplate volcanism without age progression is one of the most controversial features of plate tectonics. Previously proposed edge-driven convection, asthenospheric shear, and lithospheric detachment fail to explain the ~5000-km-wide intraplate volcanic province from eastern Australia to Zealandia. We model the subducted slab volume over 100 million years and find that slab flux drives volcanic eruption frequency, indicating stimulation of an enriched mantle transition zone reservoir. Volcanic isotope geochemistry allows us to distinguish a high-μ (HIMU) reservoir [>1 billion years (Ga) old] in the slab-poor south, from a northern EM1/EM2 reservoir, reflecting a more recent voluminous influx of oceanic lithosphere into the mantle transition zone. We provide a unified theory linking plate boundary and slab volume reconstructions to upper mantle reservoirs and intraplate volcano geochemistry.

scholarly journals Intraplate volcanism triggered by bursts in slab flux

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Mather ◽  
Dietmar Muller ◽  
Maria Seton ◽  
Saskia Ruttor ◽  
Oliver Nebel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Isotope Geochemistry ◽  
Plate Boundary ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Age Progression ◽  
Intraplate Volcanism ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Mafic Volcanism

<p><span><span>Long-lived, widespread intraplate volcanism without age progression is one of the most controversial features of plate tectonics. The eastern margin of Australia and Zealandia has experienced extensive mafic volcanism </span><span>over the last 100 million years</span><span>. A plume origin has been proposed for </span><span>three distinct chains of volcanoes,</span> <span>however</span><span>, the majority of eruptions exhibit no clear age progression. Previously proposed edge-driven convection, asthenospheric shear, and lithospheric detachment fail to explain the non age-progressive eruptions </span><span>across the </span><span>~5000 km wide intraplate volcanic province from Eastern Australia to Zealandia. We model the subducted slab volume over 100 million years and find that slab flux drives volcanic eruption frequency, indicating stimulation of an enriched mantle transition zone reservoir. Volcanic isotope geochemistry allows us to distinguish a HIMU reservoir (>1 Ga old) in the slab-poor south, from a northern EM1/EM2 reservoir, reflecting a more recent voluminous influx of oceanic lithosphere into the mantle transition zone. We provide a unified theory linking plate boundary and slab volume reconstructions to upper mantle reservoirs and intraplate volcano geochemistry.</span></span></p>

Origin of the Indus ophiolite linked to the mantle transition zone (410–660 km)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Souvik Das ◽  
Asish R. Basu
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Tectonic Setting ◽  
Ultrahigh Pressure ◽  
Historical Contingency ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Contingency Model ◽  
Mid Ocean Ridge ◽  
Consistent Change ◽  
Ocean Ridge

ABSTRACT The southeast Ladakh (India) area displays one of the best-preserved ophiolite sections in this planet, in places up to 10 km thick, along the southern bank of the Indus River. Recently, in situ, ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) mineralogical evidence from the mantle transition zone (MTZ; ∼410–660 km) with diamond and reduced fluids were discovered from two peridotite bodies in the basal mantle part of this Indus ophiolite. Ultrahigh-pressure phases were also found by early workers from podiform chromitites of another coeval Neo-Tethyan ophiolite in southern Tibet. However, the MTZ phases in the Indus ophiolite are found in silicate peridotites, but not in metallic chromitites, and the peridotitic UHP phases show systematic and contiguous phase transitions from the MTZ to shallower depth, unlike the discrete UHP inclusions, all in Tibetan chromitites. We observe consistent change in oxygen fugacity (fO2) and fluid composition from (C-H + H2) to (CO2 + H2O) in the upwelling peridotitic mantle, causing melting to produce mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB). At shallow depths (<100 km) the free water stabilizes into hydrous phases, such as pargasitic amphibole, capable of storing water and preventing melting. Our discoveries provide unique insights into deep sub-oceanic-mantle processes, and link deep-mantle upwelling and MORB genesis. Moreover, the tectonic setting of Neo-Tethyan ophiolites has been a difficult problem since the birth of the plate-tectonics concept. This problem for the origin of ophiolites in mid-ocean-ridge versus supra-subduction zone settings clearly confused the findings from Indus ophiolites. However, in this contribution, we provide arguments in favor of mid-ocean-ridge origin for Indus ophiolite. In addition, we venture to revisit the “historical contingency” model of E.M. Moores and others for Neo-Tethyan ophiolite genesis based on the available evidence and have found that our new results strongly support the “historical contingency” model.

scholarly journals Intraplate volcanism originating from upwelling hydrous mantle transition zone

Nature ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 579 (7797) ◽  
pp. 88-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianfeng Yang ◽  
Manuele Faccenda
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Intraplate Volcanism

Partial melting of stagnant oceanic lithosphere in the mantle transition zone and its geophysical implications

Lithos ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 292-293 ◽  
pp. 379-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfei Zhang ◽  
Chao Wang ◽  
Zhenmin Jin ◽  
Lüyun Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone

scholarly journals Pacific Plate slab pull and intraplate deformation in the early Cenozoic

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. P. Butterworth ◽  
R. D. Müller ◽  
L. Quevedo ◽  
J. M.O'Connor ◽  
K. Hoernle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Plate Boundary ◽  
Pacific Plate ◽  
Plate Motion ◽  
Age Progression ◽  
Intraplate Volcanism ◽  
Intraplate Deformation ◽  
Lithospheric Extension ◽  
Early Cenozoic

Abstract. Large tectonic plates are known to be susceptible to internal deformation, leading to a range of phenomena including intraplate volcanism. However, the space and time dependence of intraplate deformation and its relationship with changing plate boundary configurations, subducting slab geometries, and absolute plate motion is poorly understood. We utilise a buoyancy driven Stokes flow solver, BEM-Earth, to investigate the contribution of subducting slabs through time on Pacific Plate motion and plate-scale deformation, and how this is linked to intraplate volcanism. We produce a series of geodynamic models from 62 to 42 Ma in which the plates are driven by the attached subducting slabs and mantle drag/suction forces. We compare our modelled intraplate deformation history with those types of intraplate volcanism that lack a clear age progression. Our models suggest that changes in Cenozoic subduction zone topology caused intraplate deformation to trigger volcanism along several linear seafloor structures, mostly by reactivation of existing seamount chains, but occasionally creating new volcanic chains on crust weakened by fracture zones and extinct ridges. Around 55 Ma subduction of the Pacific-Izanagi ridge reconfigured the major tectonic forces acting on the plate by replacing ridge push with slab pull along its north-western perimeter, causing lithospheric extension along pre-existing weaknesses. Large scale deformation observed in the models coincides with the seamount chains of Hawaii, Louisville, Tokelau, and Gilbert during our modelled time period of 62 to 42 Ma. We suggest that extensional stresses between 72 and 52 Ma are the likely cause of large parts of the formation of the Gilbert chain and that localised extension between 62 and 42 Ma could cause late-stage volcanism along the Musicians Volcanic Ridges. Our models demonstrate that early Cenozoic changes in Pacific plate driving forces only cause relatively minor changes in Pacific absolute plate motions, and cannot be responsible for the Hawaii-Emperor Bend (HEB), confirming previous interpretations that the 47 Ma HEB does not reflect an absolute plate motion event.

Mantle transition zone, stagnant slab and intraplate volcanism in Northeast Asia

2017 ◽  
pp. ggw491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuanxu Chen ◽  
Dapeng Zhao ◽  
You Tian ◽  
Shiguo Wu ◽  
Akira Hasegawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Northeast Asia ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Intraplate Volcanism ◽  
Stagnant Slab

Deep Slab folding and the deformation of the Persian domain

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Boutoux ◽  
Arthur Briaud ◽  
Claudio Faccenna ◽  
Paolo Ballato ◽  
Federico Rossetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Structural Evolution ◽  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Plate Deformation ◽  
Flooding Event ◽  
Back Arc ◽  
Subduction System

<ul><li>To unravel the Neotethys subduction history and the evolution of the slab morphology at depth since the mid-Cretaceous, we produced a synthesis of the main events affecting the Persian domain. This synthesis is focused on the upper and lower plates (i.e. the Persian and the Neotethys ocean, respectively) of the subduction system and is based on the compilation of available structural, geochemical and geochronological data. Overall, this compilation allows exploring the structural evolution of the Persian domain and the Neotethys oceanic lithosphere on map view and along selected cross-sections.</li> <li>Furthermore, we performed a 2D single-sided numerical model where we explored the slab behavior at depth and its influence on upper plate deformation. The model suggests that episodic deformation is driven by the folding slab behavior at the mantle transition zone. We combine our data and numerical model into a conceptual scenario to overcome the complexity of the kinematics of the Neotethys slab since the Early Cretaceous. Our modeling approach shows that back-arcs opening and associated extensional deformation are driven by the roll-back of the folded slab into the mantle transition zone. In contrast, back-arc closure and upper plate shortening are triggered by the roll-over of the folding slab. Finally, we associate the widespread, upper plate, Early Miocene marine flooding event to the Neotethys slab avalanche into the lower mantle.</li> </ul>

scholarly journals Pacific plate slab pull and intraplate deformation in the early Cenozoic

Solid Earth ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 757-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. P. Butterworth ◽  
R. D. Müller ◽  
L. Quevedo ◽  
J. M. O'Connor ◽  
K. Hoernle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Plate Boundary ◽  
Pacific Plate ◽  
Plate Motion ◽  
Age Progression ◽  
Intraplate Volcanism ◽  
Intraplate Deformation ◽  
Lithospheric Extension ◽  
Early Cenozoic

Abstract. Large tectonic plates are known to be susceptible to internal deformation, leading to a~range of phenomena including intraplate volcanism. However, the space and time dependence of intraplate deformation and its relationship with changing plate boundary configurations, subducting slab geometries, and absolute plate motion is poorly understood. We utilise a buoyancy-driven Stokes flow solver, BEM-Earth, to investigate the contribution of subducting slabs through time on Pacific plate motion and plate-scale deformation, and how this is linked to intraplate volcanism. We produce a series of geodynamic models from 62 to 42 Ma in which the plates are driven by the attached subducting slabs and mantle drag/suction forces. We compare our modelled intraplate deformation history with those types of intraplate volcanism that lack a clear age progression. Our models suggest that changes in Cenozoic subduction zone topology caused intraplate deformation to trigger volcanism along several linear seafloor structures, mostly by reactivation of existing seamount chains, but occasionally creating new volcanic chains on crust weakened by fracture zones and extinct ridges. Around 55 Ma, subduction of the Pacific-Izanagi ridge reconfigured the major tectonic forces acting on the plate by replacing ridge push with slab pull along its northwestern perimeter, causing lithospheric extension along pre-existing weaknesses. Large-scale deformation observed in the models coincides with the seamount chains of Hawaii, Louisville, Tokelau and Gilbert during our modelled time period of 62 to 42 Ma. We suggest that extensional stresses between 72 and 52 Ma are the likely cause of large parts of the formation of the Gilbert chain and that localised extension between 62 and 42 Ma could cause late-stage volcanism along the Musicians volcanic ridges. Our models demonstrate that early Cenozoic changes in Pacific plate driving forces only cause relatively minor changes in Pacific absolute plate motion directions, and cannot be responsible for the Hawaiian–Emperor bend (HEB), confirming previous interpretations that the 47 Ma HEB does not primarily reflect an absolute plate motion event.

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