Intermittent terrane arrival induces pulses of inland tectonic cycles

Liu, Liang1; Liu, Lijun2,3; Xu, Yi-Gang1,4; Morgan, Jason P.5

2024-09-01

10.1016/j.epsl.2024.118861

EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS   影响因子和分区

0012-821X

1385-013X

Pulsing volcanotectonic cycles characterized by short-lived (10 s Myr) switches in magmatic and tectonic patterns have been broadly identified in active margins. However, the specific mechanism that causes these switches remains ambiguous, i.e., whether the subduction continuity and/or terrane arrival (accretion, underthrusting, or subduction of buoyant continental/oceanic blocks with a thicker crust than their surrounding oceanic plate) plays a crucial role in controlling the observed volcanotectonic cycles remains controversial. Here, by modeling subduction processes involving the sequential arrival of buoyant terranes, we show that 1) in scenarios where the oceanic plate is weakly coupled with terranes, the entraining of the terrane into the subduction induces slab breakup to occur between the partially subducted terrane and its adjacent oceanic slab, with the terrane then rebounding and moving away from the trench. This evolution causes switches in the magmatic and tectonic patterns within the overriding plate. 2) In these models, the exposed terrane materials can preserve characteristic pressure-temperature-time trajectories, i.e., nearly isothermal compression to isothermal decompression and/or isobaric heating after partial exhumation. 3) slab breakup does not guarantee the occurrence of a trench jump; only when the terrane has a medium scale (-300 km) will a new trench tend to develop prominently behind the rebounded terrane. 4) in scenarios where the composite slab (terrane and oceanic portions) resists yielding deformation and the terrane density is close to that of the oceanic plate (<0.6% density contrast), continuous subduction will occur. In this latter scenario, slab deformation (revealed by subduction angle and slab curvature), instead of slab breakup, will control the magmatic and tectonic patterns in the overriding plate. By further comparing model results with observations, we demonstrate that intermittent subduction interrupted by the subduction of terranes can be a tectonic driver for episodes of compression-to-extension transformations and magmatism (or piston-like volcanotectonic cycles) in two representative accretionary belts - with or without trench jumps (exemplars in south-central-Tibet and eastern-Mediterranean). In contrast, continuous subduction with strongly coupled upper and subducting plates could have contributed to similar cycles in the example without accretion (e.g., the Altiplano in the Central Andes). Therefore, over 10 s of Myr, the scale and frequency of terrane arrivals could essentially control the specific motion pattern of the subducting plate, creating the observed short-lived volcanotectonic switches at these three subtypes of active margins.

Piston -like volcanotectonic cycle Non-collisional volcanotectonic switch Terrane arrival Abnormal subduction Isobaric heating after exhumation

SCI ; EI

英语

通讯

NSFC["42330305","92355302","42074114"] ; Tuguangchi Award for Excellent Young Scholar[TGC202101]

Geochemistry & Geophysics

Geochemistry & Geophysics

WOS:001262811900001

ELSEVIER

20242616441230

Buoyancy ; Isotherms ; Tectonics

Geology:481.1 ; Internal Combustion Engine Components:612.1.1 ; Physical Properties of Gases, Liquids and Solids:931.2

GEOSCIENCES

Web of Science

1.Chinese Acad Sci, Guangzhou Inst Geochem, State Key Lab Isotope Geochem, Guangzhou, Peoples R China
2.Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Atmospher Phys, State Key Lab Lithospher Evolut, Beijing, Peoples R China
3.Univ Illinois, Dept Geol, Urbana, IL USA
4.Southern Marine Sci & Engn Guangdong Lab Guangzhou, Guangzhou, Peoples R China
5.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Marine Sci & Engn, Shenzhen, Peoples R China

Liu, Liang,Liu, Lijun,Xu, Yi-Gang,et al. Intermittent terrane arrival induces pulses of inland tectonic cycles[J]. EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS,2024,641.

Liu, Liang,Liu, Lijun,Xu, Yi-Gang,&Morgan, Jason P..(2024).Intermittent terrane arrival induces pulses of inland tectonic cycles.EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS,641.

Liu, Liang,et al."Intermittent terrane arrival induces pulses of inland tectonic cycles".EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS 641(2024).