Collisional Processes and Links to Episodic Changes in Subduction Zones

van Hunen, J.; Miller, M.S.

Abstract

Continental collision is commonly accompanied by a sequence of several plate–mantle interactions, including accretion of buoyant features, pulses of slab rollback, slab break-off, formation of slab windows, and lithosphere delamination. Using the combined insight from seismic and dynamical modelling studies, we illustrate how these processes and their characteristic rates and timescales played an important role in shaping the Mediterranean and how they dominated the closure of the Tethyan oceans. Older collisions, such as the one that formed the Norwegian Caledonites, probably experienced similarly complex plate–mantle interaction, even though direct evidence of the associated mantle dynamics is absent.

Citation

van Hunen, J., & Miller, M. (2015). Collisional Processes and Links to Episodic Changes in Subduction Zones. Elements, 11(2), 119-124. https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.11.2.119

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 20, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Mar 31, 2015
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Nov 20, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 16, 2017
• Journal: Elements
• Print ISSN: 1811-5209
• Electronic ISSN: 1811-5217
• Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 119-124
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.11.2.119
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1395386