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How double-slab subduction shaped the Eastern Anatolian Plateau: Insights from geodynamic models (2025)
Journal Article
Çetiner, U., van Hunen, J., Göǧüş, O. H., Valentine, A. P., & Allen, M. B. (online). How double-slab subduction shaped the Eastern Anatolian Plateau: Insights from geodynamic models. Geology, https://doi.org/10.1130/g53134.1

The Eastern Anatolian Plateau presents a geologic puzzle: surface elevations of ∼2 km occur in an area with average crustal thickness (35−45 km) and thin mantle lithosphere (60−70 km). Despite various hypotheses proposing processes including slab bre... Read More about How double-slab subduction shaped the Eastern Anatolian Plateau: Insights from geodynamic models.

An invasion model for the start of Paleo-Pacific subduction (2025)
Journal Article
Allen, M. B., Song, S., & Wang, C. (2025). An invasion model for the start of Paleo-Pacific subduction. Geology, 53(6), 488–492. https://doi.org/10.1130/g53022.1

Subduction initiation is a strongly debated subject in tectonics. Reconstructions of some ancient plate margins involve the propagation of subduction from a different oceanic plate in a process known as invasion or infection. A difficulty in recogniz... Read More about An invasion model for the start of Paleo-Pacific subduction.

Tectonic transition in the North China Craton during Paleo-Pacific subduction: Evidence from Jurassic−Cretaceous dike swarms (2025)
Journal Article
Wang, W., Wang, C., Allen, M. B., Zhang, L., Li, X., Su, L., & Song, S. (online). Tectonic transition in the North China Craton during Paleo-Pacific subduction: Evidence from Jurassic−Cretaceous dike swarms. GSA Bulletin, https://doi.org/10.1130/b37878.1

Tectonic transitions from compression to extension at an active continental margin provide clues for a better understanding of the geodynamics of plate subduction. Here, we present detailed investigations of Jurassic to Cretaceous dike swarms in the... Read More about Tectonic transition in the North China Craton during Paleo-Pacific subduction: Evidence from Jurassic−Cretaceous dike swarms.

Jurassic picritic and potassic mafic dyke swarms in eastern China: Evidence for thermal erosion of the lithospheric mantle during Paleo-Pacific subduction (2025)
Journal Article
Wang, W., Song, S., Wang, C., Allen, M. B., Zhang, L., Li, X., & Su, L. (2025). Jurassic picritic and potassic mafic dyke swarms in eastern China: Evidence for thermal erosion of the lithospheric mantle during Paleo-Pacific subduction. Gondwana Research, 141, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2025.02.012

Paleo-Pacific subduction significantly impacted the structure and nature of the mantle in Eastern China. However, the thermal structure of the supra-subduction-zone mantle during the early stage of the Paleo-Pacific subduction has not been well const... Read More about Jurassic picritic and potassic mafic dyke swarms in eastern China: Evidence for thermal erosion of the lithospheric mantle during Paleo-Pacific subduction.

Petrogenesis of early Paleozoic I-type granitoids in the Longshoushan and implications for the tectonic affinity and evolution of the southwestern Alxa Block (2025)
Journal Article
Zeng, R., Su, H., Allen, M. B., Shi, H., Du, H., Zhang, C., & Yan, J. (2025). Petrogenesis of early Paleozoic I-type granitoids in the Longshoushan and implications for the tectonic affinity and evolution of the southwestern Alxa Block. Solid Earth, 16(2), 179-196. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-16-179-2025

In the Paleozoic, the Alxa Block was situated between the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and the North Qilian Orogenic Belt, and it experienced intense magmatic activity. Thus, the Alxa Block is an important area for understanding the tectonic framework... Read More about Petrogenesis of early Paleozoic I-type granitoids in the Longshoushan and implications for the tectonic affinity and evolution of the southwestern Alxa Block.

Geomorphic expressions of active rifting reflect the role of structural inheritance: a new model for the evolution of the Shanxi Rift, northern China (2024)
Journal Article
Froemchen, M., McCaffrey, K. J. W., Allen, M. B., van Hunen, J., Phillips, T. B., & Xu, Y. (2024). Geomorphic expressions of active rifting reflect the role of structural inheritance: a new model for the evolution of the Shanxi Rift, northern China. Solid Earth, 15(10), 1203-1231. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-1203-2024

Many rifts are influenced by pre-existing structures and heterogeneities during their evolution, a process known as structural inheritance. During rift evolution, these heterogeneities may aid rift nucleation, rift growth, and the segmentation of fau... Read More about Geomorphic expressions of active rifting reflect the role of structural inheritance: a new model for the evolution of the Shanxi Rift, northern China.

Rise of mantle oxidation by Neoarchean subduction in the North China Craton (2024)
Journal Article
Wu, Z., Wang, C., Allen, M. B., Tang, M., Chen, Y., Jia, L., & Song, S. (2024). Rise of mantle oxidation by Neoarchean subduction in the North China Craton. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 646, Article 119006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2024.119006

The Archean mantle redox state played an important role in degassing of the Earth's interior and thus influenced atmospheric oxygen levels of the early Earth. But it is unclear if any parts of the uppermost mantle were significantly oxidized by a cer... Read More about Rise of mantle oxidation by Neoarchean subduction in the North China Craton.

A subduction-dismembered Neoproterozoic large igneous province in the Qinling Orogenic Belt, China: Implications for 850 Ma–initiated mantle plume activity in the greater Yangtze Block (2024)
Journal Article
Feng, D., Xiong, L., Wang, C., Allen, M. B., Dong, J., Wei, C., Su, L., & Song, S. (2024). A subduction-dismembered Neoproterozoic large igneous province in the Qinling Orogenic Belt, China: Implications for 850 Ma–initiated mantle plume activity in the greater Yangtze Block. Precambrian Research, 412, Article 107553. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2024.107553

Large igneous provinces (LIP) provide invaluable clues for recognizing the growth, breakup, and cycles of supercontinents and constraining the activity of ancient mantle plumes (or superplumes). The widespread intraplate magmatism is considered as a... Read More about A subduction-dismembered Neoproterozoic large igneous province in the Qinling Orogenic Belt, China: Implications for 850 Ma–initiated mantle plume activity in the greater Yangtze Block.

Geometry, slip rate, and the latest earthquake of the Jinta Nanshan Fault: Interactions of the Altyn Tagh Fault and the Qilian Shan at the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau (2024)
Journal Article
Zhang, B., Allen, M. B., Yao, Y., Zhu, J., Wu, M., Wang, W., Wen, Y., He, W., Lei, Z., & Pang, W. (2024). Geometry, slip rate, and the latest earthquake of the Jinta Nanshan Fault: Interactions of the Altyn Tagh Fault and the Qilian Shan at the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Tectonophysics, 876, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2024.230271

This work presents a study of late Quaternary activity on the Jinta Nanshan Fault (JTF), to constrain its properties including seismic hazard, and to understand the tectonic evolution of the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. The JTF has developed... Read More about Geometry, slip rate, and the latest earthquake of the Jinta Nanshan Fault: Interactions of the Altyn Tagh Fault and the Qilian Shan at the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.

Subduction zone decoupling and rapid forearc spreading at an active continental margin: Evidence from an SSZ-type ophiolite in Qilian Orogen, NW China (2024)
Journal Article
Qiao, J., Dong, J., Allen, M. B., Su, L., & Song, S. (2024). Subduction zone decoupling and rapid forearc spreading at an active continental margin: Evidence from an SSZ-type ophiolite in Qilian Orogen, NW China. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 266, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2024.106132

The forearc supra-subduction zone (SSZ) ophiolites are of great significance for understanding the geological processes of subduction systems. They are generally considered to mark the initiation of oceanic subduction. Here we present a well-preserve... Read More about Subduction zone decoupling and rapid forearc spreading at an active continental margin: Evidence from an SSZ-type ophiolite in Qilian Orogen, NW China.

Garnet zoning patterns record multiple processes of chemical transfer during subduction (2024)
Journal Article
George, F. R., Viete, D. R., Ávila, J., Seward, G. G., Guice, G. L., Allen, M. B., & Harrower, M. J. (2024). Garnet zoning patterns record multiple processes of chemical transfer during subduction. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 631, Article 118634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2024.118634

Subduction is the principal mechanism by which volatiles are transferred from the Earth's surface to its interior. In garnets from eclogites and blueschists formed within the subduction setting, fine-scale, oscillatory elemental zoning is a common fe... Read More about Garnet zoning patterns record multiple processes of chemical transfer during subduction.

Tracing DUPAL anomaly evolution in the Tethyan-Indian oceanic mantle (2024)
Journal Article
Wang, C., Song, S., Zhao, G., Allen, M. B., Su, L., Ackerman, L., Sláma, J., Zhang, D., Wen, T., Feng, D., & Strnad, L. (2024). Tracing DUPAL anomaly evolution in the Tethyan-Indian oceanic mantle. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 368, 50-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2024.01.015

It is well established that Indian- and Pacific-type mantle domains observed in the present-day upper mantle are both long-lived and can be traced back to at least the Early Paleozoic, with their contrasting isotopic compositions inherited from mantl... Read More about Tracing DUPAL anomaly evolution in the Tethyan-Indian oceanic mantle.

Origin of Early Cretaceous mafic volcanic rocks from the Erlian Basin west of the Great Xing’an Range of North China: Implications for the tectono-magmatic evolution of East Asia (2024)
Journal Article
Tang, J., Zhang, Z., Allen, M. B., Song, S., Ding, C., Li, K., & Chen, Y. (2024). Origin of Early Cretaceous mafic volcanic rocks from the Erlian Basin west of the Great Xing’an Range of North China: Implications for the tectono-magmatic evolution of East Asia. GSA Bulletin, 136(7-8), 3085-3102. https://doi.org/10.1130/B37068.1

Early Cretaceous intraplate volcanic rocks are widespread in NE Asia, but their origin remains controversial. This work presents zircon U-Pb ages, whole-rock element and Sr-Nd isotope data for mafic volcanic rocks from the Erlian Basin, a wide rift b... Read More about Origin of Early Cretaceous mafic volcanic rocks from the Erlian Basin west of the Great Xing’an Range of North China: Implications for the tectono-magmatic evolution of East Asia.

A Synthesis of the Geology and Petroleum Geology of the Iranian Portion of the South Caspian Basin and Surrounding Areas (2023)
Journal Article
Ghassemi, M. R., Allen, M. B., & Motamedi, H. (2023). A Synthesis of the Geology and Petroleum Geology of the Iranian Portion of the South Caspian Basin and Surrounding Areas. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 46(4), 487-512. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpg.12848

The South Caspian Basin, the northern Alborz Mountains, the Gorgan plain and the Moghan plain constitute the northernmost and youngest petroleum system in Iran. This region was part of the Paratethys realm from Oligocene to Pliocene time. The Oligoce... Read More about A Synthesis of the Geology and Petroleum Geology of the Iranian Portion of the South Caspian Basin and Surrounding Areas.

Development of a Modern-Style Trench-Arc-Backarc System in the Proto-Tethys Ocean (Qilian Orogenic Belt, NW China) (2023)
Journal Article
Qiao, J., Dong, J., Song, S., Allen, M. B., Wang, C., Xia, X., & Su, L. (2023). Development of a Modern-Style Trench-Arc-Backarc System in the Proto-Tethys Ocean (Qilian Orogenic Belt, NW China). Journal of Petrology, 64(5), Article egad029. https://doi.org/10.1093/petrology/egad029

The development of trench-arc-backarc (TABA) systems is uniquely associated with modern-style plate tectonics on Earth. The Qilian orogenic belt in NW China records the evolution history of the Proto-Tethys Ocean at the transition time from the Prote... Read More about Development of a Modern-Style Trench-Arc-Backarc System in the Proto-Tethys Ocean (Qilian Orogenic Belt, NW China).

An oblique subduction model for closure of the Proto-Tethys and Palaeo-Tethys oceans and creation of the Central China Orogenic Belt (2023)
Journal Article
Allen, M. B., Song, S., Wang, C., Zeng, R., & Wen, T. (2023). An oblique subduction model for closure of the Proto-Tethys and Palaeo-Tethys oceans and creation of the Central China Orogenic Belt. Earth-Science Reviews, 240, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2023.104385

Subduction and closure of the Proto-Tethys and Palaeo-Tethys oceans were important events in the assembly of Eurasia, and created the Central China Orogenic Belt (CCOB). This paper presents a new tectonic model for the CCOB in which we propose that e... Read More about An oblique subduction model for closure of the Proto-Tethys and Palaeo-Tethys oceans and creation of the Central China Orogenic Belt.

Syn- and post-collisional potassic to ultrapotassic alkaline and subalkaline volcanic rocks: Heterogeneous mantle metasomatism beneath the North Qaidam orogenic belt (2023)
Journal Article
Qiao, J., Zhou, C.-A., Dong, J., Allen, M. B., Yang, L., Su, L., & Song, S. (2023). Syn- and post-collisional potassic to ultrapotassic alkaline and subalkaline volcanic rocks: Heterogeneous mantle metasomatism beneath the North Qaidam orogenic belt. Lithos, 442-443, Article 107081. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2023.107081

Potassic to ultrapotassic and bimodal volcanic rocks related to the collisional evolution of a continental orogen can provide valuable insights into the properties of the mantle and crust-mantle interactions. Here we report two distinct suites of vol... Read More about Syn- and post-collisional potassic to ultrapotassic alkaline and subalkaline volcanic rocks: Heterogeneous mantle metasomatism beneath the North Qaidam orogenic belt.