Reconstructing subducted oceanic lithosphere by "reverse-engineering" slab geometries: The northern Philippine Sea Plate

Peer reviewe

Identation of the Philippine Sea plate by the Eurasia plate in Taiwan : details from recent marine seismological experiments

We analyze in this study a new set of marine data including 3D local tomography, 1992-2008 relocated earthquakes and two recent multichannel seismic lines to characterize the deformation style in the collision area offshore east Taiwan. We have mapped in detail the Mohos of the converging plates as well as the subduction interface with a resolution never reached before. We show that the sharp continental subduction of the Eurasia plate, beneath the middle part of the Central Range, indents the Philippine Sea plate (PSP) as attested by intra-oceanic slicing and incipient subduction of the PSP beneath the east coast of Taiwan. The westernmost part of the PSP slab is probably experiencing a beginning of break-off as attested by NW-trending en-echelon shear zones beneath the southern slope of the southern Ryukyu arc (SRA). These en-echelon shear zones have a sinistral component favored by the "collision-free" subduction of the PSP north of 24 degrees 30'N. The down-faulting of the subduction interface forms ramps along which earthquakes clusterize. Three M7 subduction earthquakes occurred offshore Suao city along these ramps with a recurrence interval of about 40 years: 1920 M(w)7.7, 1963 M(w)7.2 and 2002 M(w)7.1 events. The 1966 M(w)6.0-7.5 earthquakes sequence likely outlines a WNW-ESE left-lateral intra-slab shear zone. The SRA upper plate accommodates the complex geometry and deformation of the subducting PSP through seismic deformation. Shallow high velocities fringing the Luzon volcanic arc (LVA) beneath the Longitudinal Valley and north of the southernmost Ryukyu forearc basins are interpreted as relics of the LVA forearc basement squeezed in the collision zone. Based on the accommodation of a large part of the convergence through shortening within the PSP and the subsequent segmentation of the shallow subduction interface, we consider that the nucleation of a M-w >= 8 earthquake along the southernmost Ryukyu megathrust is unlikely

Crustal Structure and Stratigraphy of the South Mozambique Margin to South Mozambique Ridge From Combined Wide‐Angle and Reflection Seismic and Drill Hole Data

We have analyzed the MZ6 onshore‐offshore wide‐angle seismic profile of the MOZ3‐5 survey to investigate the crustal structure of the South Mozambique passive margin. The NNW‐SSE, 625 km‐long profile runs across the Mozambique coastal plain (MCP), the Continental Shelf and Slope, the Almirante Leite Ridge (ALR), the North Natal Valley (NNV), the Ariel Graben and the Dana Plateau of the Mozambique Ridge. Forward modeling through combined interpretation of the multichannel seismic, the main reflected and refracted phases of the wide‐angle, drill hole data and bathymetric data reveal: (a) a sedimentary cover poorly compacted up to 3 km‐thick, intruded by magmatic dykes that reach the seafloor at the ALR forming 0.5 to 5 km‐wide corrugated mounts, (b) between 2 and 7 km, thick magmatic or volcano‐clastic deposits are observed both at the MCP and NNV, forming a 40 km‐wide terrace at the center of MZ6 and southward‐dipping reflectors in the southern part interpreted as the Pre‐Neocomian Formation contemporary of the Karroo and/or Bombeni‐Movene magmatic events reached in several wells, (c) onshore, the 3‐layered crust reaches 39 km thickness, gradually thinning to ∼27 km at the southern end of MZ6. In the deepest layer, velocities exceed 7.15 km/s, reaching at its base 7.55 km/s at the vertical of the ALR. (d) the seismic Moho is marked by a strong reflection on the wide‐angle data. These results suggests that the basement is composed of slightly thinned and altered continental crust, most likely intruded by several phases of intense magmatism

Deep structure of the North Natal Valley (Mozambique) using combined wide‐angle and reflection seismic data

The North Natal Valley (NNV) and the Mozambique Coastal Plain (MCP) are key areas for the understanding of the SW Indian Ocean history since the Gondwana break‐up. Nevertheless, the deep structures and the nature of the NNV and MCP remain discussed in the absence of deep geophysical data. In 2016, the NNV, MCP and Limpopo margin (LM) have been investigated along 7 wide‐angle and MCS profiles. The combined wide‐angle and reflection seismic interpretation along the N‐S MZ7 profile reveals an upper sedimentary sequence characterized by low velocities generally not exceeding 3 km/s, with thicknesses varying from 0.150 km in the central part to ∼2.8 km in the south. The underlying sequence is formed of a 2.5‐3.0 km thick volcano‐sedimentary sequence which presents important lateral and with depth changes and presence of high velocity lenses, indicating inter‐bedded volcanic sills and recurrent magmatic episodes. The south of the NNV including the Naude Ridge (NR) presents a disturbed sedimentary cover with structural highs and southward‐dipping reflectors and sub‐basins. The crust, reaching 35‐40 km onshore below the MCP, gently thins below the continental shelf to a regular thickness of ∼29 km below the NNV. Crustal velocities reveal low velocity gradients, with atypical high velocities. South the ND, the crust thins to 15 km. We interpret the velocity architecture combined with the evidences of volcanism at shallower depths as indicating an intensively intruded continental crust. Contrary to what is proposed in most geodynamic models, the Mozambique Coastal plain and the Natal Valley are both of continental nature, with an abrupt necking zone located south of NR. The Antarctica plate was therefore situated at the eastern limit of these two domains before the Gondwana breakup. Plain Language Summary About 200Ma ago, the mega‐continent Pangaea broke up. The dispersion of the pieces of this mega‐continent, linked to the closure and disappearance of the Thetys paleo‐ocean, gave the birth of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In detail, the initial position of each piece of this jigsaw is of great importance as it has an impact on the palaeotopography and palaeogeography, and our understanding of the genesis of the continental passive margins, the role of tectonic inheritance, the pre‐rift and post‐rift evolution of the topography dynamic (vertical movement) and of the geodynamic of the plates (horizontal movement). Nevertheless, in the Western Indian Ocean, the initial pre‐beak‐up position of Antarctica plate respect to Africa plate is still under debate, mainly due to the lack of deep geophysical data. In 2016, an academic‐industrial collaboration succeeded in acquiring deep information along 7 seismic profiles crossing the North Natal Valley off the coast of Mozambique. The results falsify the presence of an oceanic crust in that area and thus most of the plate reconstruction models. They also argue in favour a new paradigm for the genesis of continental passive margin

Arc-continent collision in Taiwan: New marine observations and tectonic evolution

Geological Society of America. Special Paper, v. 358, p. 189-213, 2002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/0-8137-2358-2.187International audienceMarine observations offshore of Taiwan indicate intense deformation of theLuzon arc-forearc complex, with episodic eastward migration of the active deformation front across the complex. This active tectonic domain absorbs a significantamount of shortening between the Eurasia margin and the Philippine Sea Plate,which is moving towards N 310° E at about 8 cm/yr relative to Eurasia. Swath bathymetry and back-scattering data, together with seismic reflection and geopotential data obtained during the ACT (Active Collision in Taiwan) cruise onboard theR/V L'Atalante, showed major north to south changes in the tectonic style in boththe indenting arc and the host margin.Structural observations show that the forearc basement of the Luzon arc nolonger exists north of 22°30'N. To the south, only a small part of the forearc domain may remain beneath the Huatung Ridge (rear portion of the former Manilatrench oceanic accretionary wedge including forearc and intra-arc sequences) andrear of the thrust wedge. A tectonic model involving the progressive underthrusting of large slices of the forearc basement may account for the contrasting stylesof deformation encountered from south to north across the collisional orogen andapparent missing of the forearc region. The progressive subduction of the continental margin of China induces: 1) to the south, major eastward backthrustingand shortening of the forearc domain between the former oceanic accretionarywedge and the Luzon Arc volcanic edifice, 2) to the north, accretion of parts of thearc domain to the collisional belt associated with westward thrusting, eastwardbackthrusting at the base of the slope and block rotation

Gondwana breakup: messages from the North Natal Valley

International audienceThe Natal Valley, offshore Mozambique, is a key area for understanding the evolution of East Gondwana. Within the scope of the integrated multidisciplinary PAMELA project, we present new wide‐angle seismic data and interpretations, which considerably alter Geoscience paradigms. These data reveal the presence of a 30‐km‐thick crust that we argue to be of continental nature. This falsifies all the most recent palaeo‐reconstructions of the Gondwana. This 30‐km‐thick continental crust 1,000 m below sea level implies a complex history with probable intrusions of mantle‐derived melts in the lower crust, connected to several occurrences of magmatism, which seems to evidence the crucial role of the lower continental crust in passive margin genesis