论青藏高原及邻区板片构造的一个新模式

本文首先论述了板块学说提出的过程和存在的一些不足与疑问,特别是该学说将Holmes（1948）的地幔热对流说作为驱使岩石圈板块运动的动力机制.而后又以青藏高原及邻区为例,根据区域地质、蛇绿岩和地质构造研究的成果,特别是地震测深研究的成果,详细地论证了本区不存在有大洋中脊扩张成为大洋盆地的新大洋和大洋板块简单的B型俯冲模式,但存在有海底扩张的陆间海和海洋地壳板片（蛇绿岩构造岩片）的仰冲以及大陆岩石圈板片复杂的A型俯冲新模式.新模式不是以地幔对流运动,而是以扩张分离A型俯冲的大陆岩石圈板片与软流圈之间的水平剪切相对运动机制作为它的躯动力.     

Some consequences of the subduction of young slabs

The negative buoyancy force exerted by a subducting oceanic slab depends on its descent velocity, and strongly on its age. For lithosphere close to thermal equilibrium, this force dominates by a large margin the resisting forces arising from friction on the plate boundary and compositional buoyancy. This may result in oceanward migration of the trench, with associated back-arc spreading. However, the strong age dependence of this force, and of the ridge push mean that a horizontal compressive stress is required to continue subduction if changing plate geometry should bring young lithosphere to the trench. Estimates can be made of the slab age, as a function of descent velocity, at which the driving forces are no longer sufficient to overcome a given resisting force. The transition corresponding to a resisting force of 8 × 10¹² N/m divides regions displaying back-arc extensional tectonics from those displaying compressional tectonics. This is in good agreement with other estimates of the forces resisting slab motion. It is suggested that an increase in the width of — or the shear stress on — the plate boundary, associated with the subduction of lithosphere to the buoyant side of this transition, can result in a compressional stress on the overriding plate which is great enough to account for cordilleran tectonics.The proposed reduction in the one of driving forces of plate motion is still consistent with observations, being compensated by the greaterrelative importance of the push from the ridges.     

Upper mantle low anisotropy channels below the Pacific Plate

A new 3D anisotropic model has been obtained at a global scale by using a massive dataset of seismic surface waves. Though seismic heterogeneities are usually interpreted in terms of heterogeneous temperature field, a large part of lateral variations are also induced by seismic anisotropy of upper mantle minerals. New insight into convection processes can be gained by taking seismic anisotropy into account in the inversion procedure. The model is best resolved in the Pacific Plate, the largest and the most active tectonic plate. Superimposed on the large-scale radial (ξ parameter) and azimuthal anisotropy (of V_SV velocity) within and below the lithosphere, correlated with present or past Pacific Plate motions, are smaller-scale (<1000 km) lateral variations of anisotropy not predicted by plate tectonics. Channels of low anisotropy down to a depth of 200 km (hereafter referred to as LAC) are observed and are the best resolved anomalies: one east-west channel between Easter Island and the Tonga-Kermadec subduction zones (observed on both radial and azimuthal anisotropies) and a second one (only observed on azimuthal anisotropy) extending from the south-west Pacific up to south-east Hawaii, and passing through the Polynesia hotspot group for plate older than about 40 Ma. These features provide strong constraints on the decoupling between the plate and asthenosphere. They are presumably related to cracking within the Pacific Plate and/or to secondary convection below the rigid lithosphere, predicted by numerical and analog experiments. The existence and location of these LACs might be related to the current active volcanoes and hotspots (possibly plumes) in the Central Pacific. LACs, which are dividing the Pacific Plate into smaller units, might indicate a future reorganization of plates with ridge migrations in the Pacific Ocean.     

地幔对流拖曳力对中国大陆岩石层变形的影响

采用较为符合实际岩石层变形的非线性幂指数本构关系,基于ANSYS有限元平台, 模拟了近20万年来中国大陆地区地表运动及演化过程,探讨了印度板块挤压作用和地幔对流拖曳力各自对于中国大陆地区地表形变运动格局的影响.模拟结果与观测数据的比较表明：在印度板块的挤压和地幔拖曳力联合作用下,中国及东亚大陆岩石层运动形变模式能够和现代GPS观测有较好的吻合; 印度大陆和欧亚大陆的碰撞以及印度大陆的持续向北推进、挤压所产生的应力环境,一直主导了以青藏高原为核心的我国西部地域岩石圈构造、运动和演化,但其影响随着远离青藏高原地区而逐渐变小;地幔对流产生的作用于岩石层底部的拖曳力是中国大陆（特别是远离碰撞带）岩石层运动构造变形的重要驱动力.然而在构造复杂和东部靠近太平洋板块的区域,模型预测结果和GPS观测还存在一定的差距,这说明在未来的中国大陆岩石层变形运动的数值模拟中,应当采用更为复杂的构造模型和驱动力因素.     

Geophysical observations pertaining to solid-state convection in the terrestrial planets

We present a broad-based review of the observational evidence that pertains to or otherwise implies solid-state convection to be occurring (or have occurred) in the interiors of the terrestrial planets.For the Earth, the motion of the plates is prima facie evidence of large-scale mantle convection. Provided we understand upper-mantle thermal conductivity correctly, heat flow beneath the old ocean basins may be too high to be transported conductively from the upper mantle through the base of the lithosphere and therefore convection on a second smaller scale might be operative. The horizontal scale of plate dimensions implies, due to typical cell aspect ratios observed in convection, that the motion extends to the core-mantle boundary. Improved global data coverage and viscoelastic modeling of isostatic rebound due to Pleistocene deglaciation imply a uniform mantle viscosity, and thus indicate that whole-mantle convection could exist. Additionally, there is some seismic evidence of lithospheric penetration to depths deeper than 700 km. We discuss some salient features and assumption boundedness of arguments for convection confined to the upper mantle and for convection which acts throughout the mantle since the vertical length scale has a profound effect upon the relevance of geophysical observations. The horizontal form of mantle convection may be fully three-dimensional with complex planform and, therefore, searching for correlative gravity patterns in the ocean basins may not be useful without additional geophysical constraints. Many long-wavelength gravity anomalies may arise from beneath the lithosphere and must be supported dynamically, although thermal convection is not a unique explanation. Topography is an additional geophysical constraint, but for wavelengths greater than a few hundred kilometers, a general lack of correlation exists between oceanic residual gravity and topography, except at specific locations such as Hawaii. Theoretical calculations predict a complex relationship between these two observational types. Oceanic gravity data alone shows no regular planform and there is no correlation with any small-scale convective pattern predicted by laboratory experiments.All of the observational evidence argues against Martian plate tectonics occurring now or over much of the history of this planet, but lack of plate tectonics is not an argument against interior convection. The Tharsis uplift on Mars may have resulted from convective processes in the mantle, and the present-day gravity anomaly associated with Tharsis must be supported by the finite strength of the lithosphere or by mantle convection. Stresses imparted by the present topographic load would be greater than a kilobar, in excess of long-term finite strength. Observed fracture patterns are probably a direct result of this load, and the key question concerns the level of resultant strain relief. The global topographic and geomorphic dichotomy between the northern and southern hemisphere required a solid-state flow process to create the accompanying center-of-figure to center-of-mass offset.Lunar heat flow values, in analogy with oceanic heat flow on the Earth, strongly imply a convective mechanism of heat transport in the interior which, based on seismic Q values, is limited to the lower mantle. The presence of moonquakes in this region does not preclude solid-state convective processes. Lunar conductivity profiles provide no information on convection because of the difficulty in conductivity modeling, uniqueness of models, and the uncertainty in the conductivity-temperature relationship. The excess oblateness of the lunar figure over the hydrostatic value does not require convective support; in fact, such a mechanism is unlikely.The presence of a dipole magnetic field on Mercury does not provide a constraint on mantle convection unless its existence can be inextricably linked to a molten core. The non-hydrostatic shape of the equatorial figure, required for the observed $\text{3}\text{2}$ resonance between Mercury's rotational and orbital periods, is most likely related to surface processes, as opposed to convection. The $\text{3n}\text{2}$ resonance implies escape from a 2n resonance and, therefore, is related to the question of a molten core. Further dynamical data is needed to constrain interior models.Interpretation of limited radar imagery for the surface of Venus is enigmatic in terms of plate tectonics and therefore interior convection. Linear tensional and possibly compressional features are observed, but there are also crustal regions which appear to show large impact structures and are thus geologically old and may not have been recycled.     

Stability of the boundary layer between the lithosphere and convecting mantle and the steady-state lithospheric geotherm

In the steady state, the convective boundary layer (CBL) (the transition from the lithosphere to the convecting mantle, the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary) is on the verge of stability. This determines its depth, thickness, and the steady-state temperature distribution in the lithosphere. Had the mantle been homogeneous, the base of the lithosphere at the current potential temperature would lie globally at the same depth H _rh of 50 to 70 km. Actually, the regime of interaction of the mantle convection with the lithosphere is determined by the relationship between this depth and the thickness H _depl of the chemical boundary layer including the crust and the layer of the depleted rock. If the thickness of the chemical boundary layer is small H _depl < H _rh, as it is the case in the present-day oceanic mantle, the suboceanic regime is established with the mantle convection that does not reach the base of the chemical boundary layer. In this case, the top of CBL is located at depth H _rh, while the oceanic heat flow and the depth of the seafloor only depend on the potential temperature T _p and, within the areas where the crust is older than 60 to 70 Ma, are the same everywhere far from the disturbed territories (the hot points and the subduction zones). The absence of noticeable distinctions between the heat flow in the different oceanic basins suggests a global constancy of the potential temperature. If H _depl > H _rh, the subcontinental regime of the interaction of the mantle convection with the lithosphere is established. In this case, the CBL is immediately adjacent to the depleted lithosphere, its top is located at depth H _depl, and the surface heat flow q(T _p, H _depl) not only depends on the potential temperature T _p but also on the the thickness of the depleted lithosphere H _depl; it decreases with increasing H _depl and, therefore, with the age of the lithosphere. Given the potential temperature, the dependence q(T _p, H _depl) agrees well with the envelope of the results of kimberlite xenolith thermobarometry presented in the diagram of the deepest xenolith depth as a function of the heat flow. It is likely that in the lowest part of the continental lithosphere there is a zone of horizontal shear deformation, from where kimberlites entrain the strongly deformed and, at the same time, the deepest xenoliths. Besides, the azimuthal anisotropy of seismic velocities can be associated with this zone. The change in its direction with depth can be observed as the Lehmann discontinuity.     

Transient creep of the lithosphere and its role in geodynamics

Laboratory experiments with samples of rocks show that at small strains there is transient creep, at which the strain grows with time, and the strain rate decreases. Plate tectonics allows only small strains in the lithospheric plates, so that the lithosphere creep is transient. In geodynamics, the lithosphere is regarded as a cold boundary layer formed by mantle convection. If we assume that the lithosphere has a steady-state creep, which is described by power-law non-Newtonian rheological model, the low effective viscosity of the lower layers of the lithosphere, obtained by data on small-scale postglacial flows, is possible only at high strain rates in these layers. However, the high strain rates in the lithosphere induce large strains that contradict plate tectonics. Transient creep of the lithosphere leads to its mobility at small strains, removing the discrepancy between thermal convection in the mantle and plate tectonics, which holds in the case of power-law rheological model of the lithosphere.     

Three-dimensional mantle lithosphere deformation at collisional plate boundaries: A subduction scissor across the South Island of New Zealand

The continental plate collision across the South Island of New Zealand is highly oblique (dextral) and bounded by oppositely verging ocean plate subduction zones. As such, the region can be considered as a type of ‘subduction scissor’. Within this tectonic context, we use three-dimensional computational geodynamic models to consider how convergent mantle lithosphere can be modified by scissor and strike–slip effects. Bounding subduction at both ends of the continental collision causes flow of the descending mantle lithosphere in the direction along strike of the model plate boundary, with thinning in the centre and thickening towards the subduction zones that bifurcates the continental mantle lithosphere root. With dipping bounding subduction, the mantle lithosphere root takes on a more complex morphology that folds over from one subduction polarity to the other, but remains as a continuous feature as it folds under the collision zone. In the absence of bounding subduction, the plate convergence causes a linear (along strike) mantle lithosphere root to develop. A rapid strike–slip motion between the converging plates transfers material in the plate boundary-parallel direction and tends to blur out features that develop in this direction—such as descending viscous instabilities. The along-strike variations in the morphology of the mantle lithosphere root that develop in the models—viz., thickening of the root towards the subduction edges, thinning in the centre—are consistent with recent, albeit poorly constrained, geophysical interpretations of the large-scale lithospheric structure of the South Island. We speculate that this reflects the nature of the evolution of the South Island collision as a limited continental segment of the plate boundary that it is dominated and guided by adjacent well-developed/developing ocean plate subduction.     

The generation of plate tectonics from mantle convection

In the last decade, significant progress has been made toward understanding how plate tectonics is generated from mantle dynamics. A primary goal of plate-generation studies has been the development of models that allow the top cold thermal boundary layer of mantle convection, i.e. the lithosphere, to develop broad and strong plate-like segments separated by narrow, weak and rapidly deforming boundaries; ideally, such models also permit significant strike-slip (toroidal) motion, passive ridges (i.e. pulled rather than pried apart), and self-consistent initiation of subduction. A major outcome of work so far is that nearly all aspects of plate generation require lithospheric rheologies and shear-localizing feedback mechanisms that are considerably more exotic than rheologies typically used in simple fluid-dynamical models of mantle flow. The search for plate-generating behavior has taken us through investigations of the effects of shear weakening (‘stick-slip’) and viscoplastic rheologies, of melting at ridges and low-viscosity asthenospheres, and of grain-size dependent rheologies and damage mechanics. Many such mechanisms, either by themselves or in combination, have led to self-consistent fluid-mechanical models of mantle flow that are remarkably plate-like, which is in itself a major accomplishment. However, many other important problems remain unsolved, such as subduction intiation and asymmetry, temporal evolution of plate geometry, rapid changes in plate motion, and the Archaean initiation of the plate-tectonic mode of convection. This paper presents a brief review of progress made in the plate-generation problem over the last decade, and discusses unresolved issues and future directions of research in this important area.     

Plate tectonics in relation to mantle temperatures and metamorphic properties

When plate tectonics emerged and how it has evolved over Earth history are two of the most fundamental challenges in Earth Sciences. These questions are tackled using a holistic approach to analyze tectonic styles in the history of Earth, giving rise to the interpretation of two styles of plate tectonics since the Archean. In these interpretations, there are different styles of deformation and metamorphism between early times dominated by warm subduction, and later times preferring cold subduction.The two styles of plate tectonics are recorded by different properties of regional metamorphism at convergent plate boundaries,which are linked to the differences in mantle temperature between the Archean and Phanerozoic. A transition to modern plate tectonics is recorded by the signature of blueschist facies metamorphism developed in the Neoproterozoic. This is consistent with geological evidence for the operation of ancient plate tectonics since the early Archean. The temporal cooling of the mantle explains the geochemical trends of mantle-derived melts, the likely change from numerous small plates to fewer but larger plates,changes in thickness and preservation of oceanic crust and lithosphere in accretionary and collisional orogens, and led to the oxygenation of the surface environment providing the environments needed to foster life.     

Thermal convection in a cylindrical annulus with a non-Newtonian outer surface

This study presents the results of numerical simulations of a model for lithospheremantle coupling in a terrestrial type planet. To first order, a geologically active terrestrial type planet may consist of a metallic core, silicate mantle and lithosphere, with the lithosphere being rheologically different from the mantle. Therefore we have developed a numerical model consisting of a thin non-Newtonian fluid hoop that is dynamically coupled to a thick Newtonian fluid cylindrical annulus. Thus the rheological dichotomy between mantle and lithosphere is built into the model. Time-dependent calculations show the existence of at least two regimes of behaviors. In one regime, the behavior of the hoop switches between periods characterized by low or high speeds, in response to changes in convective vigor and planform. This regime may apply to the planet Venus where the available evidence indicates that prior to 500 myr ago, the planet was resurfaced on a time scale of <100 myr. Since that time, large-scale tectonic activity on Venus has been sharply curtailed. In the other regime, which is more like plate tectonics on Earth, the hoop speeds rise and fall on short time scales.     

Is there an active subduction beneath the Gibraltar orogenic arc? Constraints from Pliocene to present-day stress field

We present a new set of brittle microtectonic measurements carried out in the Pliocene and Quaternary rocks outcropping in several key sectors of the western Betic and Rif orogen, the so-called Gibraltar orogenic arc. This data set, along with available earthquake focal mechanisms and borehole breakouts, allowed us to compile the Pliocene and Quaternary stress map of this area. This map provides new constraints for tectonic models and the present-day tectonic activity of the proposed active eastward subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath the Gibraltar Arc and roll-back. The horizontal maximum compressive stress (S_Hmax) is NW-SE in the Betic Orogen and N-S/NNW-SSE in the southern Rif Cordillera. There is a significant consistency between S_Hmax and the displacement field deduced from GPS measurements with respect to the African plate: both appear to reflect the NW-SE convergence between the African and the European plates that is perturbed in the Rif. We propose that part of the eastern Rif behaves as a quasi-rigid block welded to the stable African plate. This block is bounded by important faults that localized most of the deformation disturbing the stress and surface displacement field. Pliocene to Quaternary N-S to NW-SE Africa-Europe plate convergence seem to be associated to the reorganization of the remnant Early Miocene subduction system in a continental–continental collision framework. Three-dimensional reconstruction of available seismic tomography plotted against the intermediate seismicity shows that only part of the old subduction system, whose orientation ranges from N20°E to N100°E, remains active: the portion ranging from N30°E to N40°E, orthogonal to the regional convergence.     

Plate-kinematic Constraints from Mantle Bénard Convection

General kinematic implications for plate tectonics are determined for Rayleigh-Bénard convection of the mantle. The continuum of all possible configurations of Bénard polygons is probed by large random samples of global configurations (450,000 to 54,000,000), for each of which the Euler poles are determined on the basis of viscous coupling across the asthenosphere. Two computationally related methods lead first, to Euler pole restrictions for fourteen plates, and second, to restrictions on the Bénard cell configuration. Result No. 1: Euler poles occur in global preference-patterns, which are determined exclusively by the shape of the plate. The observational HS2-NUVEL1 model poles occur near regions preferred by Bénard convection (Eurasia excluded); the agreement is best for the most accurate observational poles. Result No. 2: Seven specific mantle Bénard cells are indicated by present-day plate motions. The upwelling centers correlate with hotspot domains; the major global subduction zones correlate with Bénard model downwelling. This result is independent of the Euler pole accuracy used in its determination, and is consistent with the distribution of low seismic p-wave propagation velocities determined by tomography, and with shear-wave splitting analysis within the asthenosphere. Conclusions: The results suggest that the bulk mantle is divided into less than ten Bénard convection cells globally (cf., Fohlmeister and Renka, 2002), each of which extends from the asthenosphere to the core-mantle boundary; turbulent flow, and other perturbations of the Bénard kinematics appear to be limited. These primally poloidal flow kinematics provide basal shear forces as a major component in driving plate tectonics, and are specifically configured for the directions of plate motions. The Bénard model is incomplete without a dynamic contribution from the lithosphere, which represents a separate convection layer of the distinct polar kinematics of rigid plates. The complete hybrid mechanism for driving plate tectonics includes lithospheric buoyancy dynamics, specifically from the subducting Pacific plate slabs to compensate for plate-slowing due to the back-flow sector of the Hawaiian convection cell, and collision-drag dynamics principally for smaller plates or continental margins.     

Effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere from joint inversion in western China and its implications*

The western China lies in the convergence zone between Eurasian and Indian plates. It is an ideal place to study the lithosphere dynamics and tectonic evolutions on the continental Earth. The lithospheric strength is a key factor in controlling the lithosphere dynamics and deformations. The effective elastic thickness (T_e) of the lithosphere can be used to address the lithospheric strength. Previous researchers only used one of the admittance or coherence methods to investigate the T_e in the western China. Moreover, most of them ignored the internal loads of the lithosphere during the T_e calculation, which can produce large biases in the T_e estimations. To provide more reliable T_e estimations, we used a new joint inversion method that integrated both admittance and coherence techniques to compute the T_e in this study, with the WGM2012 gravity data, the ETOPO1 topographic data, and the Moho depths from the CRUST1.0 model. The internal loads are considered and investigated using the load ratio (F). Our results show that the joint inversion method can yield reliable T_e and F values. Based on the analysis of T_e and F distributions, we suggest (1) the northern Tibetan Plateau could be the front edge of the plate collision of Eurasian and Indian plates; (2) the southern and part of central Tibetan Plateau have a strong lithospheric mantle related to the rigid underthrusting Indian plate; (3) the southeastern Tibetan Plateau may be experiencing the delamination of lithosphere and upwelling of asthenosphere.     

Developing plate tectonics theory from oceanic subduction zones to collisional orogens

Crustal subduction and continental collision is the core of plate tectonics theory. Understanding the formation and evolution of continental collision orogens is a key to develop the theory of plate tectonics. Different types of subduction zones have been categorized based on the nature of subducted crust. Two types of collisional orogens, i.e. arc-continent and continent-continent collisional orogens, have been recognized based on the nature of collisional blocks and the composition of derivative rocks. Arc-continent collisional orogens contain both ancient and juvenile crustal rocks, and reworking of those rocks at the post-collisional stage generates magmatic rocks with different geochemical compositions. If an orogen is built by collision between two relatively old continental blocks, post-collisional magmatic rocks are only derived from reworking of the old crustal rocks. Collisional orogens undergo reactivation and reworking at action of lithosphere extension, with inheritance not only in the tectonic regime but also in the geochemical compositions of reworked products(i.e., magmatic rocks). In order to unravel basic principles for the evolution of continental tectonics at the post-collisional stages, it is necessary to investigate the reworking of orogenic belts in the post-collisional regime, to recognize physicochemical differences in deep continental collision zones, and to understand petrogenetic links between the nature of subducted crust and post-collisional magmatic rocks. Afterwards we are in a position to build the systematics of continental tectonics and thus to develop the plate tectonics theory.     

The Role of History-Dependent Rheology in Plate Boundary Lubrication for Generating One-Sided Subduction

We have developed a two-dimensional dynamical model of asymmetric subduction integrated into the mantle convection without imposed plate velocities. In this model we consider that weak oceanic crust behaves as a lubricator on the thrust fault at the plate boundary. We introduce a rheological layer that depends on the history of the past fracture to simulate the effect of the oceanic crust. The thickness of this layer is set to be as thin as the Earth's oceanic crust. To treat 1-kilometer scale structure at the plate boundary in the 1000-kilometer scale mantle convection calculation, we introduce a new numerical method to solve the hydrodynamic equations using a couple of uniform and nonuniform grids of control volumes. Using our developed models, we have systematically investigated effects of basic rheological parameters that determine the deformation strength of the lithosphere and the oceanic crust on the development of the subducted slab, with a focus on the plate motion controlling mechanism. In our model the plate subduction is produced when the friction coefficient (0.004–0.008) of the modeled oceanic crust and the maximum strength (400 MPa) of the lithosphere are in plausible range inferred from the observations on the plate driving forces and the plate deformation, and the rheology experiments. In this range of the plate strength, yielding induces the plate bending. In this case the speed of plate motion is controlled more by viscosity layering of the underlying mantle than by the plate strength. To examine the setting of the overriding plate, we also consider the two end-member cases in which the overriding plate is fixed or freely-movable. In the case of the freely-movable overriding plate, the trench motion considerably changes the dip angle of the deep slab. Especially in the case with a shallow-angle plate boundary, retrograde slab motion occurs to generate a shallow-angle deep slab.     

Global tectonics and the geoid

A digitised tectonic model, initially built up for regionalization of Rayleigh waves, is applied to the geoid in order to define the mean geoid heights of the following regions: 3 oceanic regions, namely young oceans (0–30 Ma) middle-aged oceans (30–80 Ma) and old oceans (> 80 Ma); trenches and subduction zones; mountains; and shields. The relative importance of the deep sources is damped or enhanced by progressively removing or adding the lower or higher degrees of the geoid. A statistical approach allows us to quantify the success of the correlation between tectonics and these filtered geoids.Significant variations are observed in these correlations for oceanic regions (including subduction zones) with a cut-off between degree-2 and higher degrees. For degrees ? 3, a well-known trend is observed: high values correspond to young oceans (ridges) and low values to old oceans, high values are also obtained for subduction zones. On the contrary, and unexpectedly, for the degree-2 alone a trend reversal is observed: geoid lows are observed over ridges and geoid highs over old oceans; trenches give the same geoid amplitude than old oceans. Clearly this denotes a degree-2 convection pattern connected to plate tectonics. In addition it is shown that the minimum and maximum inertia axes of the surface distribution of young oceans, and independently of old oceans and trenches, coincide with the Earth's equatorial inertia axes (74°E and 164°E), i.e., with the equatorial extremes of the degree-2 geoid.Plate tectonics is uncorrelated with the polar anomaly of the degree-2 geoid, namely the flattening which is not accounted for by Earth rotation. A north-south axisymmetric convection with a degree-2 pattern is proposed to explain this extra flattening; this model is supported by the latitude dependence of the depth of oceanic ridges.     

Morphology and magnetic survey of the Rivera-Cocos plate boundary of Colima,Mexico

The propagation of the Pacific-Cocos Segment of the East Pacific Rise (EPR-PCS) has significantly altered the plate configuration at the north end of the Middle America Trench. This ridge propagation, the collision of the EPR-PCS with the Middle America Trench, the separation of the Rivera and Cocos plates and the formation of the Rivera Transform have produced a complex arrangement of morphotectonic elements in the area of Rivera-Cocos plate boundary, atypical of an oceanic transform boundary. Existing marine magnetic and bathymetric data has proved inadequate to unravel this complexity, thus, a dense grid of total field magnetic data were collected during campaigns MARTIC-04 and MARTIC-05 of the B/O EL PUMA in 2004 and 2006. These data have greatly clarified the magnetic lineation pattern adjacent to the Middle America trench, and have revealed an interesting en echelon, NE-SW oriented magnetic high offshore of the Manzanillo Graben. We interpret these new data to indicate that the EPR-PCS ridge segment reached the latitude (~18.3°N) of the present day Rivera Transform at about Chron 2A₃ (~3.5Ma) and propagated further northward, intersecting the Middle America Trench at about 1.7 Ma (Chron 2). At 1.5 Ma spreading ceased along the EPR north of 18.3°N and the EPR-PCS has since retreated southward in association with a southward propagation of the Moctezuma Spreading Segment. North of 18.3°N the seafloor near the trench has been broken into small, uplifted blocks, perhaps due to the subduction of the young lithosphere generated by the EPR-PCS.     

俯冲板片形貌特征和活动大陆边缘演化体制的关系

当大洋板块向大陆板块下俯冲时,上覆板块的边缘可以以沟—弧—盆体制发育,也可以不发育弧后拉伸盆地．为什么同属上覆板块边缘但可以这二种完全不同的体制演化是现代地球科学研究的一个热点．本文在查阅大量最新文献的基础上认为造成这二种不同演化体制除了与俯冲作用的年代学特征有关外还可能主要与俯冲板片的形貌不同所导致局部地幔对流方式不一有关．由于俯冲的倾角,俯冲达到的最大深度以及俯冲板片在６７０ｋｍ上下地幔过渡带处保存的形态等因素不同,造成仰冲板块边缘之下软流圈对流方式不一．从而,造成弧体近陆一侧是否将发生岩石圈拉伸的动力学过程．     

冲绳板块应力场数值模拟及其动力学特征div>

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