Mapping geologic features onto subducted slabs
File(s)harmon_2019.pdf (2.83 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Estimating the location of geologic and tectonic features on a subducting plate is important for interpreting their spatial relationships with other observables including seismicity, seismic velocity and attenuation anomalies, and the location of ore deposits and arc volcanism in the over-riding plate. Here we present two methods for estimating the location of predictable features such as seamounts, ridges and fracture zones on the slab. One uses kinematic reconstructions of plate motions, and the other uses multidimensional scaling to flatten the slab onto the surface of the Earth. We demonstrate the methods using synthetic examples and also using the test case of fracture zones entering the Lesser Antilles subduction zone. The two methods produce results that are in good agreement with each other in both the synthetic and real examples. In the Lesser Antilles, the subducted fracture zones trend northwards of the surface projections. The two methods begin to diverge in regions where the multidimensional scaling method has its greatest likely error. Wider application of these methods may help to establish spatial correlations globally.
Date Issued
2019-11-01
Date Acceptance
2019-06-18
Citation
Geophysical Journal International, 2019, 219 (2), pp.725-733
ISSN
0956-540X
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Start Page
725
End Page
733
Journal / Book Title
Geophysical Journal International
Volume
219
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
©The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Royal Astronomical Society. This is an Open Accessarticle distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), whichpermits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000491050200001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
NE/K010743/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Plate motions
Oceanic transform and fracture zone processes
Subduction zone processes
TECTONIC EVOLUTION
CENTRAL ATLANTIC
FRACTURE-ZONES
PLATE
KINEMATICS
INSIGHTS
DEPOSITS
RIDGE
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2019-07-11