Seismogenic structures along continental convergent zones: from oblique subduction to mature collision

We summarize seismogenic structures in four regions of active convergence, each at a different stage of the collision process, with particular emphases on unusual, deep-seated seismogenic zones that were recently discovered. Along the eastern Hellenic arc near Crete, an additional seismogenic zone seems to occur below the seismogenic portion of the interplate thrust zone—a configuration found in several other oblique subduction zones that terminate laterally against collision belts. The unusual earthquakes show lateral compression, probably reflecting convergence between the subducting lithosphere's flank and the collision zone nearby. Along oblique zones of recent collision, the equivalence between space and time reveals the transition from subduction to full collision. In particular, intense seismicity beneath western Taiwan indicates that along the incipient zone of arc–continent collision, major earthquakes occur along high-angle reverse faults that reach deep into the crust or even the uppermost mantle. The seismogenic structures are likely to be reactivated normal faults on the passive continental margin of southeastern China. Since high-angle faults are ineffective in accommodating horizontal motion, it is not surprising that in the developed portion of the central Taiwan orogen (<5 Ma), seismogenic faulting occurs mainly along moderate-dipping (20–30°) thrusts. This is probably the only well-documented case of concurrent earthquake faulting on two major thrust faults, with the second seismogenic zone reaching down to depths of 30 km. Furthermore, the dual thrusts are out-of-sequence, being active in the hinterland of the deformation front. Along the mature Himalayan collision zone, where collision initiated about 50 Ma ago, current data are insufficient to distinguish whether most earthquakes occurred along multiple, out-of-sequence thrusts or along a major ramp thrust. Intriguingly, a very active seismic zone, including a large (M_w=6.7) earthquake in 1988, occurs at depths near 50 km beneath the foreland. Such a configuration may indicate the onset of a crustal nappe, involving the entire cratonic crust. In all cases of collision discussed here, the basal decollement, a key feature in the critical taper model of mountain building, appears to be aseismic. It seems that right at the onset of collision, earthquakes reflect reactivation of high-angle faults. For mature collision belts, earthquake faulting on moderate-dipping thrust accommodates a significant portion of convergence—a process involving the bulk of crust and possibly the uppermost mantle.     

大洋俯冲和大陆碰撞沿走向的转换动力学及流体-熔体活动的作用

为了深入探讨大洋俯冲和大陆碰撞沿走向的转换及其动力学特征,同时更好的理解俯冲-碰撞带的流体-熔体活动及其效应,我们建立了一系列三维空间的大尺度、高分辨率的动力学数值模型。模拟结果显示,在板块会聚过程中,流体-熔体活动可以降低周围岩石的流变强度及两个板块之间的耦合作用,并能够促进大陆碰撞带俯冲板块的断离。同时,俯冲-碰撞带的空间转换模型揭示其深部结构存在巨大的沿走向的差异性,大陆碰撞带发生俯冲板块断离,而大洋俯冲板块持续下插。并且上覆板块的地壳物质发生从陆-陆碰撞带向洋-陆俯冲带的侧向逃逸。这种三维空间中沿走向的差异性俯冲-碰撞模式与中-东特提斯构造带相吻合,并揭示其动力学机制。     

Magmatic expression of tectonic transition from oceanic subduction to continental collision: Insights from the Middle Triassic rhyolites of the North Qiangtang Block

The tectonic transition from subduction to collision is a fundamental process during orogenesis, yet the magmatic expression of this transition and related deep geodynamic processes remain unclear. This study focuses on a newly identified volcanic belt within the Moyun–Zaduo–Sulu area of the North Qiangtang Block and presents new zircon U-Pb data that indicate that this belt formed during the Middle Triassic (247–241 Ma), a time characterized by a regional transition from subduction to collisional tectonism. The volcanic belt is located to the south of a Permian to Early Triassic arc and is dominated by high-K calc-alkaline and peraluminous rhyolites. These rhyolites have low Mg^#, Nb/Ta, and δEu values, contain low contents of Sr, have high Rb/Sr and whole-rock ε_Nd(t) values, and show positive zircon ε_Hf(t) values, all of which suggest that they formed from magmas generated by the dehydration melting of juvenile crustal material. The migration of Middle Triassic volcanism in this region was most likely caused by rollback of the subducting Longmucuo–Shuanghu Tethyan oceanic slab. Combining our new data with previously published results of numerical modeling of subduction–collisional processes and regional data from north-central Tibet yields insights into the magmatic expressions and related deep geodynamics of the transition from oceanic subduction to continental collision. This combination of data also suggests that variations in oxygen fugacity can be used as a proxy for the discrimination of magmatism related to subduction, the transition from subduction to collision, and collisional tectonism.     

大陆造山运动：从大洋俯冲到大陆俯冲、碰撞、折返的时限——以北祁连山、柴北缘为例

北祁连山和柴北缘是典型的早古生代大陆造山带,分别发育有北祁连山大洋型俯冲缝合带和柴北缘大陆型俯冲碰撞带.作为早古生代大洋冷俯冲的典型代表,北祁连山经历了从新元古代-寒武纪大洋扩张、奥陶纪俯冲和闭合及早泥盆世隆升造山的过程.高压变质岩变质年龄为490～440Ma,证明古祁连洋经历了至少50m．y．的俯冲过程.柴北缘超高压变质带是大陆深俯冲的结果,岩石学、地球化学和同位素年代学表明,柴北缘超高压变质带中榴辉岩的原岩分别来自洋壳和陆壳两种环境.高压/超高压变质的蛇绿岩原岩的年龄为517±11Ma,与祁连山蛇绿岩年龄一致.榴辉岩早期的变质年龄为443～473Ma,与祁连山高压变质年龄一致,代表大洋地壳俯冲的时代,而柯石英片麻岩和石榴橄榄岩所限定的超高压变质时代为420～426Ma,代表大陆俯冲的年龄.从大洋俯冲结束到大陆俯冲最大深度的转换时间最少需要20m．y．.自420Ma起,俯冲的大洋岩石圈与跟随俯冲的大陆岩石圈断离,大陆地壳开始折返,发生隆升和造山.北祁连山和柴北缘两个不同类型的高压-超高压变质带反映了早古生代从大洋俯冲到大陆俯冲、隆升折返的造山过程.     

Metamorphic history of eclogites and country rock gneisses in the Aktyuz area,Northern Tien‐Shan,Kyrgyzstan: a record from initiation of subduction through to oceanic closure by continent–continent collision

Eclogites and related high‐P metamorphic rocks occur in the Zaili Range of the Northern Kyrgyz Tien‐Shan (Tianshan) Mountains, which are located in the south‐western segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Eclogites are preserved in the cores of garnet amphibolites and amphibolites that occur in the Aktyuz area as boudins and layers (up to 2000 m in length) within country rock gneisses. The textures and mineral chemistry of the Aktyuz eclogites, garnet amphibolites and country rock gneisses record three distinct metamorphic events (M1–M3). In the eclogites, the first MP–HT metamorphic event (M1) of amphibolite/epidote‐amphibolite facies conditions (560–650 °C, 4–10 kbar) is established from relict mineral assemblages of polyphase inclusions in the cores and mantles of garnet, i.e. Mg‐taramite + Fe‐staurolite + paragonite ± oligoclase (An_<16) ± hematite. The eclogites also record the second HP‐LT metamorphism (M2) with a prograde stage passing through epidote‐blueschist facies conditions (330–570 °C, 8–16 kbar) to peak metamorphism in the eclogite facies (550–660 °C, 21–23 kbar) and subsequent retrograde metamorphism to epidote‐amphibolite facies conditions (545–565 °C and 10–11 kbar) that defines a clockwise P–T path. thermocalc (average P–T mode) calculations and other geothermobarometers have been applied for the estimation of P–T conditions. M3 is inferred from the garnet amphibolites and country rock gneisses. Garnet amphibolites that underwent this pervasive HP–HT metamorphism after the eclogite facies equilibrium have a peak metamorphic assemblage of garnet and pargasite. The prograde and peak metamorphic conditions of the garnet amphibolites are estimated to be 600–640 °C; 11–12 kbar and 675–735 °C and 14–15 kbar, respectively. Inclusion phases in porphyroblastic plagioclase in the country rock gneisses suggest a prograde stage of the epidote‐amphibolite facies (477 °C and 10 kbar). The peak mineral assemblage of the country rock gneisses of garnet, plagioclase (An_11–16), phengite, biotite, quartz and rutile indicate 635–745 °C and 13–15 kbar. The P–T conditions estimated for the prograde, peak and retrograde stages in garnet amphibolite and country rock are similar, implying that the third metamorphic event in the garnet amphibolites was correlated with the metamorphism in the country rock gneisses. The eclogites also show evidence of the third metamorphic event with development of the prograde mineral assemblage pargasite, oligoclase and biotite after the retrograde epidote‐amphibolite facies metamorphism. The three metamorphic events occurred in distinct tectonic settings: (i) metamorphism along the hot hangingwall at the inception of subduction, (ii) subsequent subduction zone metamorphism of the oceanic plate and exhumation, and (iii) continent–continent collision and exhumation of the entire metamorphic sequences. These tectonic processes document the initial stage of closure of a palaeo‐ocean subduction to its completion by continent–continent collision.     

从洋壳俯冲到陆壳俯冲和碰撞：来自羌塘中西部地区榴辉岩和蓝片岩地球化学的证据

羌塘中部晚三叠世低温/高压变质带是目前青藏高原内部延伸规模最大的高压变质带,但大量关键高压变质岩石出露地区地球化学资料匮乏,严重制约了对高压变质带原岩建造以及构造演化的全面认识。本文以羌塘中西部地区尚无地球化学资料的果干加年山榴辉岩和红脊山蓝片岩为研究对象,进行了系统的地球化学以及原岩恢复工作。研究表明,果干加年山榴辉岩呈透镜状产于围岩石榴石多硅白云母片岩和少量大理岩中,其原岩为亚碱性玄武岩,具有较低的稀土总量(∑REE=51.19×10-6~59.43×10-6)和轻稀土亏损的特征[(La/Yb)N=0.59~0.70],不具有Nb、Ta、Ti的亏损,与典型的N-MORB特征一致,暗示其原岩可能来源于亏损的地幔源区,形成于洋中脊环境。红脊山地区基性蓝片岩的原岩为碱性玄武岩-亚碱性玄武岩,具有高的TiO2(2.97%~4.14%)和P2O5(0.29%~0.48%)含量,富集轻稀土元素[(La/Yb)N=6.10~11.6]和高场强元素,地球化学特征类似于OIB。但是这些基性蓝片岩与大量的陆源碎屑岩伴生产出,且具有明显的硅铝质上地壳物质混染的特征,与南羌塘地区二叠纪大陆板内基性岩墙的产出特征以及地壳混染特征一致,可能是其俯冲消减的产物。通过本文研究结果并结合区域内已识别出的E-MORB型洋壳和洋岛/海山物质深俯冲的证据,我们认为羌塘中部晚三叠世高压变质带以洋壳物质深俯冲为主,同时亦保留了部分陆壳物质俯冲的证据,暗示大洋向北俯冲消减结束之后,又牵引至少一部分南羌塘北缘陆壳物质经历了随后的俯冲过程。     

Transition from oceanic subduction to continental collision recorded in the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone: Insights from Early Cretaceous magmatic rocks in the north-central Tibet

The transition from oceanic subduction to continental collision is a key stage in the evolution of ancient orogens. We present new data for Early Cretaceous diorite and granite porphyry from north–central Tibet to constrain the evolution of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan Ocean (BNTO). The diorites have moderate SiO₂ and high MgO contents, similar to high-Mg andesites. Zircon grains yield U–Pb ages of 128–124 Ma and positive ε_Hf(t) values between +13.2 and + 16.3, corresponding to Hf depleted-mantle model ages (T_DM) of 281–131 Ma. The high-Mg diorite was probably formed by partial melting of hydrous mantle wedge fluxed by slab-derived fluids in an oceanic subduction setting. The granite porphyries yield zircon U–Pb ages of 117–115 Ma and zircon ε_Hf(t) values ranging from +0.1 to +4.5. Most samples have high SiO₂ and Fe₂O₃^T contents, variable FeO^T/MgO and Ga/Al ratios, and are depleted in Ba, Sr, P, and Ti, similar to I- and A-type granites. The granite porphyries were most likely derived from partial melting of juvenile dioritic or granodioritic crust due to break-off of the BNTO lithosphere following collision between the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks. The Early Cretaceous high-Mg diorite and A-type granite porphyry thus record the Early Cretaceous transition from oceanic subduction to continental collision along the Bangong–Nujiang suture zone (BNSZ).     

First report of eclogites from central Tibet,China: evidence for ultradeep continental subduction prior to the Cenozoic India‐Asian collision

Eclogites characterized by a garnet + clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + sanidine + rutile assemblage are reported for the first time in the eastern Bangong suture, central Tibet (China). Garnet and sanidine are exsolved from clinopyroxene. Al‐exchange barometer for orthopyroxene and garnet and K concentrations in clinopyroxene indicate a peak pressure of ～4 GPa. The occurrence of these ultrahigh‐pressure rocks implies the subduction of continental crust to a depth of >130 km along the eastern Bangong suture zone during the Early Jurassic. The denudation of these ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphic rocks could have provided a significant source for the Jurassic turbidites in the western Bangong ocean basin.     

柴北缘东段奥陶纪埃达克岩-富Nb玄武岩:对大陆深俯冲之前大洋俯冲及地壳增生的启示

在柴北缘东段识别出早古生代埃达克岩-富Nb玄武岩的火山岩组合。埃达克岩富Na₂O、贫K₂O,K₂O/Na₂O比值介于0.14~0.43之间;高Sr（614×10^-6~1043×10^-6）,但亏损Y（3.26×10^-6~14.1×10^-6）和Yb（0.33×10^-6~1.46×10^-6）,具有高的Sr/Y比值（44~282）;富集Sr、Ba等大离子亲石元素,亏损Nb、Ta、Ti等高场强元素及Cr、Ni、Co、V等相容元素。富Nb玄武岩富Na₂O、贫K₂O、高TiO₂,其Nb含量较高,介于16.9×10^-6~17.9×10^-6之间,具有高的Nb/Ta、Nb/U、（Nb/La）_N比值,同时富集高场强元素。埃达克岩锆石U-Pb定年得到453±4Ma和457±4Ma的结晶年龄。锆石ε_Hf（t）范围较大,介于3.40~13.23之间,对应的二阶段模式年龄t_DM2介于1059~566Ma之间,显示以新生物质为主的特征。综合研究表明柴北缘东段埃达克岩可能为岛弧环境下俯冲的南祁连大洋板片部分熔融的产物。板片来源的埃达克质熔体交代或与上覆地幔楔橄榄岩反应,导致被交代的地幔橄榄岩部分熔融而形成富Nb玄武质岩浆。柴北缘东段埃达克岩-富Nb玄武岩火山岩组合的厘定表明南祁连洋可能直到~455Ma之前并未完全闭合,同时表明俯冲大洋板片的部分熔融可能是柴北缘早古生代地壳增生的一种重要方式。     

大陆深俯冲的最大深度——来自数值模拟实验的结果

采用粘弹性材料8块体有限元模型并设定温度场后进行的大陆深俯冲二维数值模拟表明,在组合载荷（负浮力、洋中脊推力从上到下10～30MPa和地幔对流拖曳力100MPa）作用下,陆壳俯冲实际垂向位移可达117km,最终俯冲深度达到147km,而洋壳实际垂向位移约162km,最终俯冲深度达到231km;在洋壳、陆壳俯冲到一定深度以前,它们的俯冲速度基本保持不变,表现为洋壳、陆壳底端的位移一时间曲线近似为直线;当俯冲时间超过9Ma,洋壳、陆壳分别达到167km、96km深度后,俯冲速度会越来越慢。     

Plate margin transition from oceanic arc-trench to continental system: The Kermadec-New Zealand example

The East Coast Fold Belt (ECFB) of the North Island, New Zealand, is the continuation of the Tonga-Kermadec arc-trench system. Structurally its tectonic front to the east defines the Indian-Pacific plate boundary. This, however, is not continuous with the Kermadec Trench. Large-scale fragmentation of the ECFB into segments of greatly varying width, strike and structure may be caused by a strongly segmented subducting plate, individual segments of which strike in different directions and have different dips and rates of subduction. Towards the southwest, regional change of strike with respect to plate motion has resulted in the formation of a broad shear zone marked by a strongly subsiding trough filled with rapidly deposited, largely undeformed sediments in front of the ECFB. This foredeep (Hikurangi Trough), which thus occupies the gap between ECFB (Indian plate) and the continental Chatham Rise (Pacific plate) is gradually being involved in the overall deformation, due to continuing motion of the Pacific plate to the southwest, in a slightly oblique sense along the shear zone. As a result, the Hikurangi Trough is shifting with time to the east-northeast. From a tectonic, structural and morphological point of view, it is unrelated to the Kermadec Trench which terminates in the region of East Cape.The structure of the ECFB is characterized mainly by extension normal to the plate boundary, with regional tilting and down-faulting of the continental margin. Effects of compression are observed only locally, and are often due to diapiric uplifts caused by widespread, undercompacted shale. Such diapirs form elongate structural highs which in many cases have supplied sediments into adjacent basins on their landward side. Overall the continental slope and margin are underlain by land-derived sediments which exhibit in-place deformation. Locally they extend as undeformed sediment aprons beyond the tectonicfront. There is no compelling evidence of a subduction complex of imbricate thrust slices. It is concluded that the tectonic evolution is not controlled by accretion but rather by subsidence and tectonic erosion along the continental margin. The conditions are complicated, however, because of the discrete change from an oceanic arc-trench subduction system to an intercontinental shear zone.     

Flexural response of the oceanic lithosphere at an arc—arc junction: implication for the subduction of aseismic ridges

The deformation of the oceanic lithosphere subducting at the junction of two trenches is studied by means of a three-dimensional finite-element analysis. Results show that the existence of a junction (i.e. a change in trend of the trench axis) yields a specific shape of the outer topographic rise. In a convex junction area—such as the Japan and Kuril trenches, the topographic bulge presents a “dome”, whereas in a concave junction area—such as the Java and Sumatra trenches, this bulge is less pronounced. These theoretical results are confirmed by the bathymetry seaward of the junctions of the Japan and Kuril trenches and of the Peru-Chile trench. Moreover, the existence of the abnormal topographic dome in front of a convex junction contributes to the creation of normal faults which help the subduction of seamounts or of other bathymetric features in such areas.     

The Triassic age for oceanic eclogites in the Dabie orogen: Entrainment of oceanic fragments in the continental subduction

Low-temperature and high-pressure eclogites with an oceanic affinity in the western part of the Dabie orogen have been investigated with combined Lu–Hf and U–Pb geochronology. These eclogites formed over a range of temperatures (482–565 °C and 1.9–2.2 GPa). Three eclogites, which were sampled from the Gaoqiao country, yielded Lu–Hf ages of 240.7 ± 1.2 Ma, 243.3 ± 4.1 Ma and 238.3 ± 1.2 Ma, with a corresponding lower-intercept U–Pb zircon age of 232 ± 26 Ma. Despite the well-preserved prograde major- and trace-element zoning in garnets, these Lu–Hf ages mostly reflect the high-pressure eclogite-facies metamorphism instead of representing the early phase of garnet growth due to the occurrence of omphacite inclusions from core to rim and the shell effect. An upper-intercept zircon U–Pb age of 765 ± 24 Ma is defined for the Gaoqiao eclogite, which is consistent with the weighted-mean age of 768 ± 21 Ma for the country gneiss. However, the gneiss has not been subjected to successive high-pressure metamorphism. The new Triassic ages are likely an estimate of the involvement of oceanic fragments in the continental subduction.     

Diamond in metasedimentary crustal rocks from Pohorje,Eastern Alps: a window to deep continental subduction

We report the first finding of diamond and moissanite in metasedimentary crustal rocks of Pohorje Mountains (Slovenia) in the Austroalpine ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane of the Eastern Alps. Microscopic observations and Raman spectroscopy show that diamond occurs in situ as inclusions in garnet, being heterogeneously distributed. Under the optical microscope, diamond‐bearing inclusions are of cuboidal to rounded shape and of pinkish, yellow to brownish colour. The Raman spectra of the investigated diamond show a sharp, first order peak of sp³‐bonded carbon, in most cases centred between 1332 and 1330 cm^?1, with a full width at half maximum between 3 and 5 cm^?1. Several spectra show Raman bands typical for disordered graphitic (sp²‐bonded) carbon. Detailed observations show that diamond occurs either as a monomineralic, single‐crystal inclusion or it is associated with SiC (moissanite), CO₂ and CH₄ in polyphase inclusions_. This rare record of diamond occurring with moissanite as fluid‐inclusion daughter minerals implies the crystallization of diamond and moissanite from a supercritical fluid at reducing conditions. Thermodynamic modelling suggests that diamond‐bearing gneisses attained P–T conditions of ≥3.5 GPa and 800–850 °C, similar to eclogites and garnet peridotites. We argue that diamond formed when carbonaceous sediment underwent UHP metamorphism at mantle depth exceeding 100 km during continental subduction in the Late Cretaceous (c. 95–92 Ma). The finding of diamond confirms UHP metamorphism in the Pohorje Mountains, the most deeply subducted part of Austroalpine units.     

Delamination and ultra‐deep subduction of continental crust: constraints from elastic wave velocity and density measurement in ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphic rocks

Thirty‐three samples, including 22 eclogites, collected from the Dabie ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) metamorphic belt in eastern China, have been studied for seismic properties. Compressional (V_p) and shear wave (V_s) velocities in three mutually perpendicular directions under hydrostatic pressures up to 1.0 GPa were measured for each sample. At 1.0 GPa, V_p (7.5–8.4 km s^?1), V_s (4.2–4.8 km s^?1), and densities (3.2–3.6 g cm^?3) in the UHP eclogites are higher than those of UHP orthopyroxenite (7.3–7.5 km s^?1, 4.1–4.3 km s^?1, 3.2–3.3 g cm^?3, respectively) and HP eclogites (7.1–7.9 km s^?1, 4.0–4.5 km s^?1, 3.1–3.5 g cm^?3, respectively). Kyanitites (with 99.5% kyanite) show extremely high velocities and density (9.37 km s^?1, 5.437 km s^?1, 3.581 g cm^?3, respectively). The eclogites show variation of V_p‐ and V_s‐anisotropy up to 9.70% and 9.17%, respectively. Poisson’s ratio (σ) ranges from 0.218 to 0.278 (with a mean of 0.255) for eclogites, 0.281–0.298 for granulites and 0.248 to 0.255 for amphibolites. The σ values for serpentinite (0.341) and marble (0.321) are higher than for other lithologies. The elastic moduli K, G, E of kyanitite were obtained as 163, 102 and 253 GPa, respectively. The V_p and density of representative UHP metamorphic rocks (eclogite & kyanitite) were extrapolated to mantle depth (15 GPa) following a reasonable geotherm, and compared to the one dimension mantle velocity and density model. The comparison shows that V_p and density in eclogite and kyanitite are greater than those of the ambient mantle, with differences of up to ΔV_p > 0.3 km s^?1 and Δρ > 0.3–0.4 g cm^?3, respectively. This result favours the density‐induced delamination model and also provides evidence in support of distinguishing subducted high velocity materials in the upper mantle by means of seismic tomography. Such ultra‐deep subduction and delamination processes have been recognized by seismic tomography and geochemical tracing in the postcollisional magmatism in the Dabie region.     

The age of the oceanic accretionary wedge and onset of continental collision in the Sicilian Maghrebian Chain

New biostratigraphic data from the formations unconformably lying above the tectonic units resulting from the Flysch Basin Domain (FBD) in the Sicilian Maghrebids are here reported. The FBD constituted a southern branch of the western Tethys, separating during the Jurassic to Paleogene a Mesomediterranean Microplate from the African Plate.

The age of the youngest sediments involved in the nappes and that of the unconformable terrains deposited in thrust-top basins on these tectonic units, allow to define both the age of deformation of the oceanic realm and the onset of the continental collision. The deformation migrated from internal to external areas of FBD starting from the latest Burdigalian-Langhian to Serravallian. Therefore, the previously proposed Eocene-Oligocene mesoalpine deformation of the Maghrebian FBD cannot be supported. The continental collision started during the Serravallian and it was accomplished in the late Tortonian, when clastic deposits sealed the boundaries of the tectonic units originated from all the paleogeographic domains of the Maghrebian Chain.

The steps of the tectonic evolution in the Sicilian Maghrebids are now very well constrained and the proposed tectonic evolution may be extended to the whole Maghrebian Chain, as far as to the western Betic Cordilleras and to the southern Apennines, where most of the tectonic events show highly similar features and ages.     

Eclogitic metasediments from central Qiangtang, Northern Tibet: Evidence for continental subduction during the eastern and western Qiangtang collision

Eclogitic metasediments from the central Qiangtang metamorphic terrane provide new insights into the continental subduction during the eastern and western Qiangtang collision. Petrologic observations show that the metasediments correspond to meta-sandstones of a continental margin. It is characterized by the garnet + omphacite + rutile + phengite + quartz assemblage, and the peak metamorphic temperature and pressure were estimated to be 535 ± 40 °C and ～27 kbar, respectively, by major element partitioning thermobarometry. Subsequent retrogression occurred at ～472 ± 30 °C and ～6–9 kbar. The occurrence of eclogitized central Qiangtang terrane indicates the subduction of the western Qiangtang passive continental margin beneath eastern Qiangtang when eastern and western Qiangtang collided along the Shuanghu suture.     

Large‐scale deformation in the India‐Asia collision constrained by earthquakes and topography

Analysis of earthquake focal mechanisms allows division of the India‐Asia collision into kinematic domains that strongly correlate with topography. These kinematic domains indicate strain partitioning dominated by oblique slip deformation. The Kunlun and south Tibetan fault systems mark discontinuities in the strain field and bound the high, flat topography of the plateau which deforms by transtension. The northern and southern margins of Tibet deform by transpression or contraction and are topographically steep. Correlations between seismicity and topography are due to Mohr–Coulomb wedge mechanics at the northern and southern plateau margins which produce naturally steep surface slopes, whereas the flat interior and eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is underlain by viscous crust which supports subdued topography further muted by Cenozoic basin fill. These data indicate that the long wavelength topography of the India‐Asia collision is controlled by seismically caused surface displacements which are linked to deep crustal deformation mechanics.