南海东北部及其邻近地区的Pn波速度结构与各向异性

利用中国地震台网和ISC台站1980～2004年的地震数据,反演了南海东北部及其邻近地区的Pn波速度结构和各向异性.上地幔顶部的速度变化揭示出区域地质构造的深部特征：华南地区速度较高并且变化平缓,具有构造稳定地区的岩石层地幔特征;华南沿海尤其是滨海断裂带附近出现低速异常,表明该断裂可能穿过壳幔边界深达上地幔顶部.南海北部至台湾海峡较高的速度与华南地区类似,反映出大陆边缘和陆架地区的岩石层地幔性质;西沙海槽附近较高的速度不仅反映了华南大陆向南的延伸,而且与海槽裂谷拉张引起的地幔上拱有关,整个南海北部没有发现大规模地幔热流的活动痕迹.相比之下,南海东部次海盆的上地幔顶部存在明显的低速异常,对应于海底扩张中心的地幔上涌区,表明岩石层地幔强烈减薄甚至缺失;台湾东部－吕宋－菲律宾北部的低速异常与地震、火山活动以及岩浆作用紧密相关,揭示了西太平洋岛弧俯冲带的活动特征;南海东北部的洋－陆边界清晰,南海东部和菲律宾海西部较高的速度代表了海洋岩石层地幔的性质.Pn波各向异性反映出区域性构造应力状态及岩石层地幔的变形痕迹：华南地区的各向异性较小,说明这一构造稳定地区的岩石层地幔变形程度较弱;南海北部的快波方向与地壳浅表层构造的伸展方向一致,主要反映了中、新生代以来的大陆边缘张裂和剪切作用对岩石层地幔结构的影响;琉球－台湾－吕宋岛弧两侧各向异性十分强烈,平行于海沟的快波方向表明菲律宾海板块和欧亚大陆的相互作用导致俯冲板块前缘的岩石层地幔强烈变形;台湾东南海域快波方向的变化可能与欧亚大陆和菲律宾海板块俯冲机制的转换以及岩石层被撕裂有关.     

Comparison of gravimetric and seismic constraints on the structure of the Aegean lithosphere in the forearc of the Hellenic subduction zone in the area of Crete

The island of Crete is located in the forearc of the Hellenic subduction zone, where the African lithospheric plate is subducting beneath the Eurasian one. The depth of the plate contact as well as the internal structure of the Aegean plate in the area of Crete have been a matter of debate. In this study, seismic constrains obtained by wide-angle seismic, receiver function and surface wave studies are discussed and compared to a 3D density model of the region.The interface between the Aegean continental lithosphere and the African one is located at a depth of about 50 km below Crete. According to seismic studies, the Aegean lithosphere in the area of Crete is characterised by strong lateral, arc–parallel heterogeneity. An about 30 km thick Aegean crust is found in central Crete with a density of about 2850 kg/m³ for the lower Aegean continental crust and a density of about 3300 kg/m³ for the mantle wedge between the Aegean crust and the African lithosphere. For the deeper crust in the area of western Crete two alternative models have been proposed by seismic studies. One with an about 35 km thick crust and another one with crustal velocities down to the plate contact. A grid search is performed to test the consistency of these models with gravimetric constraints. For western Crete a model with a thick lower Aegean crust and a density of about 2950 kg/m³ is favoured. The inferred density of the lower Aegean crust in the area of Crete correlates well with S-wave velocities obtained by surface wave studies.Based on the 3D density model, the weight of the Aegean lithosphere is estimated along an E–W oriented profile in the area of Crete. Low weights are found for the region of western Crete.     

Two overlapping plates subducting beneath central Japan as revealed by strontium isotope data

In central Japan, the Pacific plate subducts westward beneath the Eurasian plate and the Philippine Sea plate subducts northwestward into the mantle wedge between the Eurasian plate and the subducted Pacific slab. There, the Northeast Japan arc is joined to the Izu-Ogasawara arc. We determined ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and Rb and Sr contents for 47 volcanic rock samples from 15 Quaternary volcanoes in central Japan and summarized the geographical distribution of the ratios. The general trend of slowly increasing ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio from the back-arc side toward the volcanic front in the Northeast Japan arc is broken by a marked high ratio (above 0.7060) centered around Akagi volcano located at the southernmost region of the arc. Elsewhere, the ratio along the volcanic front in this arc varies within the range 0.7038 to 0.7045. The marked high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio is considered to be due to the addition of slab-derived components transported by the Philippine Sea plate to the magma-generating region in the mantle wedge beneath central Japan. Therefore, the geographical distribution of the high ratio may correspond to that of the Philippine Sea slab-derived components in the mantle wedge and we may draw the underground outline of the Philippine Sea plate. This outline implies that an aseismic portion of the Philippine Sea plate continues a few tens km ahead of the seismic one. A belt of low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios from the Izu Peninsula northwestward along the northern end of the Izu-Ogasawara arc coincides with the zone where the subducting Philippine Sea plate is not observed seismologically, while it is detected seismologically on both sides of the belt.     

Comparison of gravimetric and seismic constraints on the structure of the Aegean lithosphere in the forearc of the Hellenic subduction zone in the area of Crete

The island of Crete is located in the forearc of the Hellenic subduction zone, where the African lithospheric plate is subducting beneath the Eurasian one. The depth of the plate contact as well as the internal structure of the Aegean plate in the area of Crete have been a matter of debate. In this study, seismic constrains obtained by wide-angle seismic, receiver function and surface wave studies are discussed and compared to a 3D density model of the region.The interface between the Aegean continental lithosphere and the African one is located at a depth of about 50 km below Crete. According to seismic studies, the Aegean lithosphere in the area of Crete is characterised by strong lateral, arc–parallel heterogeneity. An about 30 km thick Aegean crust is found in central Crete with a density of about 2850 kg/m³ for the lower Aegean continental crust and a density of about 3300 kg/m³ for the mantle wedge between the Aegean crust and the African lithosphere. For the deeper crust in the area of western Crete two alternative models have been proposed by seismic studies. One with an about 35 km thick crust and another one with crustal velocities down to the plate contact. A grid search is performed to test the consistency of these models with gravimetric constraints. For western Crete a model with a thick lower Aegean crust and a density of about 2950 kg/m³ is favoured. The inferred density of the lower Aegean crust in the area of Crete correlates well with S-wave velocities obtained by surface wave studies.Based on the 3D density model, the weight of the Aegean lithosphere is estimated along an E–W oriented profile in the area of Crete. Low weights are found for the region of western Crete.     

南海瑞雷面波群速度层析成像及其地球动力学意义

南海处于欧亚板块、 菲律宾海板块、 太平洋板块和印度-澳大利亚板块的交汇处, 其地质和构造作用十分复杂．通过面波群速度成像, 给出了南海及邻区的三维横波速度分布并分析了其地球动力学意义．南海西部和南部新布设的地震台站使得利用单台法时路径覆盖比过去更好. 特别是在华南地区, 新的台站分布能够弥补该地区地震少且台站少造成的射线密度不够的缺点． 首先运用多重滤波法得到南海周边48个台站周期为14——130 s范围内的基阶瑞雷波频散曲线图; 接着通过子空间反演得到整个区域在不同周期时的群速度分布; 最后通过阻尼最小二乘反演得到不同深度切片上的横波速度分布及不同纵剖面上的横波速度分布． 结果显示: ① 海盆速度较高, 且速度分布很好地勾勒出海盆的轮廓. 浅层较高的横波速度说明海盆都具有洋壳性质, 而深部较高的横波速度则可能对应扩张中心生成洋壳后残留的高速物质． 不同海盆速度上的差异与它们的热流值和年龄大小一致．海盆下的高速异常在60 km以下消失, 且在一定深度范围内由低速区替代． 在低速区下200 km深度, 在南海海盆观测到一条NE-SW走向的高速异常, 可能与古俯冲带有关. ② 环南海出现明显的高速区, 对应俯冲带特征, 且这些高速区速度差异明显且有间断, 说明俯冲带的非均质性和俯冲角度的差异. ③ 在环南海高速区内侧（向南海侧）观测到不连续的低速区． 在浅层, 这些低速区反映了沉积层和地壳的厚度特征. 在地幔, 这些低速区可能对应于古太平洋俯冲带的地幔楔或者也可能反映了南海海盆停止扩张后残留的地幔熔融物质. ④ 南海海盆岩石圈的厚度为60——85 km．      

Specific features of the genesis of the Azores-Gibraltar fault zone (North Atlantic)

Maps of the main structures and the degree of geothermal studies of the Azores-Gibraltar and Iceland regions are constructed. Computer modeling of the coefficient of velocity of thermal subsidence into the asthenosphere of the Azores segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is performed. According to the results of modeling, this velocity exceeds the mean velocity of thermal subsidence of the mid-ocean ridges of the world ocean by a factor of ∼ 1.5. The high velocity of subsidence of the Azores segment of the ridge is caused by the influence of the hot substance of the plume on the process of subsidence. The distributions of the heat flow in the Horseshoe basin, Alboran Sea, and southern part of the Iberian Peninsula are analyzed. A zone of increased heat flow and seismicity, extending from the Madeira-Torre Ridge through the Horseshoe basin, and farther to the east through the southern parts of Spain and France, is identified for the first time. The identified geothermal zone marks the northern branch of the diffuse boundary between the Eurasian and African plates. In the region of the Alpine chain, this zone joins the southern boundary between the Eurasian and African plates, which runs along the northern part of Africa and the Apennine Peninsula. The European and African plate boundaries outline the identified Western-Mediterranean plate, which mainly consists of the oceanic and thinned continental lithospheres of the Algerian-Provence and Tyrrhenian basins.     

Deformation and stress regimes in the Hellenic subduction zone from focal Mechanisms

Fault plane solutions for earthquakes in the central Hellenic arc are analysed to determine the deformation and stress regimes in the Hellenic subduction zone in the vicinity of Crete. Fault mechanisms for earthquakes recorded by various networks or contained in global catalogues are collected. In addition, 34 fault plane solutions are determined for events recorded by our own local temporary network on central Crete in 2000–2001. The entire data set of 264 source mechanisms is examined for types of faulting and spatial clustering of mechanisms. Eight regions with significantly varying characteristic types of faulting are identified of which the upper (Aegean) plate includes four. Three regions contain interplate seismicity along the Hellenic arc from west to east and all events below are identified to occur within the subducting African lithosphere. We perform stress tensor inversion to each of the subsets in order to determine the stress field. Results indicate a uniform N-NNE direction of relative plate motion between the Ionian Sea and Rhodes resulting in orthogonal convergence in the western forearc and oblique (40–50^∘) subduction in the eastern forearc. There, the plate boundary migrates towards the SE resulting in left-lateral strike-slip faulting that extends to onshore Eastern Crete. N110^∘E trending normal faulting in the Aegean plate at this part is in accordance with this model. Along-arc extension is observed on Western Crete. Fault plane solutions for earthquakes within the dipping African lithosphere indicate that slab pull is the dominant force within the subduction process and responsible for the roll-back of the Hellenic subduction zone.     

The crust and upper mantle structure beneath southeastern China

We analyzed teleseismic waveforms recorded by 44 stations in the Fujian and Taiwan provinces of China and obtained 5344 high quality receiver functions. The crustal thickness (H) and average crustal V_P/V_S ratio (k) beneath every station were estimated using the H–k stacking method. Crustal thicknesses near the Fujian Province range from 28.3 to 32.8 km with an average of 31.1 km, and the corresponding V_P/V_S ratios vary from 1.70 to 1.84 with a mean of 1.76. From inland to offshore of the Fujian Province, the crustal thicknesses decrease and Poisson's ratios increase. These may indicate decreasing SiO₂ and increasing calc-alkaline contents in the crust. The discontinuity structures such as the Moho, subducting slab, the 410- and 660-km discontinuities (hereafter we call them the 410 and the 660) are also studied using common converted point (CCP) stacking of receiver functions. Along two NW–SE lines of central and northern Taiwan, the CCP stacking results show a western dipping structure at depths above 50 km, suggesting that the Philippine Sea plate is probably subducting beneath the Eurasian continent plate near the central and northern Taiwan. The CCP stacking results show sharp and flat 410- and 660-km discontinuities, and the transition zone thickness (TZT) is the same as that of ambient mantle beneath Fujian and Taiwan Strait, but thickens in the east of Taiwan. These results suggest that (1) the subducting Eurasian continent plate is confined to the depths above 410 km beneath Fujian and Taiwan Strait; and (2) the South China Sea slab may reach the transition zone beneath the east of Taiwan.     

中国东部海域岩石圈结构面波层析成像

本文通过面波层析成像得到了中国东部海域及邻近地区的地壳上地幔S波速度图像,给出了主要构造单元的区划及其结构特征,并讨论了速度结构与现今构造活动及构造演化历史的关系.研究区内中下地壳的平均速度与地震活动存在比较显著的关系,强震基本都发生在低速区内或高低速过渡区.太行山以东地壳内存在几条北西向低速带,其中张家口—渤海地震带下方的低速带最为显著.东部海域划分成北黄海、南黄海、东海、和冲绳海槽等4个构造块体.北黄海具有较薄较高速的岩石圈,与南华北盆地类似,推测是中生代特提斯洋向北俯冲造成岩石圈减薄的遗迹.北华北地区具有低速的地壳和较厚的岩石圈,岩石圈地幔速度偏低且上下比较均匀,可能反映中生代沿北方缝合带持续碰撞作用的特点.南黄海具有相对较厚的岩石圈,较多地保存了下扬子克拉通的特征.在下扬子与华北地块的拼合过程中,洋壳俯冲可能是北黄海和苏皖地区上地幔低速特征的成因.在125°E以东的朝鲜半岛地区未发现这一拼合过程的遗迹.有可能整个朝鲜半岛都是华北地块的一部分;但也有可能是太平洋俯冲和日本海张开的作用完全改造了朝鲜半岛的岩石圈上地幔,抹去了以往构造运动的痕迹.东海地区的地壳厚度,特别是岩石圈厚度向冲绳海槽方向减小,反映出菲律宾海板块俯冲在弧后广大地区都有影响.冲绳海槽地区可见俯冲的菲律宾海板片以及板片上方显著低速的地壳和上地幔,为冲绳海槽的弧后扩张机制提供了证据.     

南阿拉斯加地壳及上地幔结构成像研究

通过反演562891个纵波和156321个横波走时数据,第一次同时获得了阿拉斯加地区地壳及上地幔的纵波与横波速度以及泊松比图像,为更好地认识阿拉斯加地区的深部地震结构、太平洋板块与亚库塔特板块的俯冲几何形态提供了科学依据.成像结果表明P波和S波速度图像与泊松比结构具有很好的一致性,强的高速度和低泊松比异常沿着阿拉斯加俯冲带延伸至200 km深度,该高速度和低泊松比异常体与俯冲带的地震空间分布吻合,因此,我们认为该高速体为俯冲的太平洋板块和亚库塔特板块.从地震空间分布发现,大部分大地震（M>6.5）发生在高速度与低速度异常交界处,可能反映了俯冲板块之间强耦合作用.在俯冲带的地幔楔显示出广泛的低速度和高泊松比异常,并且这些异常与岛弧火山的位置相对应,这与大洋板块俯冲所形成的岩浆入侵作用有关.研究结果表明在南阿拉斯加俯冲带,俯冲板块的俯冲角度从兰格尔块体下方的平坦变成在布里斯托尔湾下方的陡峭,这与亚库塔特板块俯冲在兰格尔块体下方和太平洋板块俯冲在布里斯托尔湾下方有关.在基奈半岛和科迪亚克岛连接处的上地幔位置存在强烈的低速与高泊松比异常体,使该处的大洋俯冲板块变薄.这一现象可能与亚库塔特板块和太平洋板块相互碰撞作用以及软流圈强烈的上升流入侵有关.     

中国西部及邻区岩石圈S波速度结构面波层析成像

本文利用瑞利波群速度频散资料和层析成像方法,研究了中国西部及邻近区域(20°N—55°N,65°E—110°E)的岩石圈S波速度结构.结果表明这一地区存在三个以低速地壳/上地幔为特征的构造活动区域:西蒙古高原—贝加尔地区,青藏高原,印支地区.西蒙古高原岩石圈厚度约为80 km,上地幔低速层向下延伸至300 km深度,说明存在源自地幔深部的热流活动.缅甸弧后的上地幔低速层下至200 km深度,显然与印度板块向东俯冲引起俯冲板片上方的热/化学活动有关.青藏高原地壳厚达70 km,边缘地区厚度也在50 km以上并且具有很大的水平变化梯度,与高原平顶陡边的地形特征一致.中下地壳的平均S波速度明显低于正常大陆地壳,在中地壳20~40 km深度范围广泛存在速度逆转的低速层,这一低速层的展布范围与高原的范围相符.这些特征说明青藏高原中下地壳的变形是在印度板块的北向挤压下发生塑性增厚和侧向流动.地幔的速度结构呈现与地壳显著不同的特点.在高原主体和川滇西部地区上地幔顶部存在较大范围的低速,低速区范围随深度迅速减小;100 km以下滇西低速消失,150 km以下基本完全消失.青藏高原上地幔速度结构沿东西方向表现出显著的分段变化.在大约84°E以西的喀喇昆仑—帕米尔—兴都库什地区,印度板块的北向和亚洲板块的南向俯冲造成上地幔显著高速;84°E—94°E之间上地幔顶部速度较低,在大约150~220 km深度范围存在高速板片,有可能是俯冲的印度岩石圈,其前缘到达昆仑—巴颜喀拉之下;在喜马拉雅东构造结以北区域,存在显著的上地幔高速区,可能阻碍上地幔物质的东向运动.川滇西部岩石圈底界深度与扬子克拉通相似,约为180 km,但上地幔顶部速度较低.这些现象表明青藏高原岩石圈地幔的变形/运动方式可能与地壳有本质的区别.     

欧亚东边缘的双向板块汇聚及其对大陆的影响

自3 Ma至现今,在欧亚东缘太平洋、菲律宾海板块以较大速率朝NWW方向运动,并沿海沟向欧亚大陆俯冲;同时欧亚板块以较小速率朝SEE方向移动,构成双方向的板块汇聚格局.沿日本岛弧东侧,海洋板片以较小的倾角插入欧亚大陆下面,在浅部产生的挤压变形扩展到日本海东边缘.琉球岛弧的中、北部,菲律宾海俯冲板片的倾角较大,其西南段由NE向转变为EW向,正经历活动的海沟后退与弧后扩张.台湾是3种板块汇聚的交点:欧亚沿马尼拉海沟向东俯冲,吕宋弧与台湾碰撞,使台湾岛陆壳东西向缩短与隆升,形成年轻的造山带,菲律宾海板块沿琉球海沟的西南段向北俯冲到欧亚下面.位于南海与菲律宾海之间的菲律宾群岛是宽的变形过渡带,两侧被欧亚向东、菲律宾海向西俯冲夹击,中间是大型左旋走滑断层.总体上,现今时期的太平洋、菲律宾海板块的西向俯冲运动所产生的变形主要分布在俯冲板片内部及岛弧,未扩散到弧后地区,可能这种俯冲运动产生的水平应力较小,不能阻挡欧亚大陆的向东移动,对大陆内部的现今构造没有明显的影响.     

俯冲带的负浮力及其影响因素

基于Ｍｕｒｎａｇｈａｎ－Ｂｉｒｃｈ状态方程，计算了密度Ｐ、热膨胀系数ａｖ、定压比热ｃｐ等物性参数在上地幔温压条件下的分布，给出了热传导系数ｋ在上地幔温压条件下的分布．采用准动力学计算方案，用有限元方法计算了板块不同俯冲速度、角度、不同厚度及不同俯冲深度情况下俯冲带的温度分布和密度分布．计算了不同俯冲模型下俯冲带的负浮力及其对岩石层板块形成的等效应力，发现负浮力在俯冲过程中是变化的，俯冲速度和板块厚度对其有明显的影响，在稳定俯冲状态，负浮力约为（１．５－２．３）×１０^１３Ｎｍ^－１，等效张应力约为０．２５－０．２９Ｇｐａ．     

上地幔俯冲板块的动力学过程:数值模拟

大洋板块俯冲到地幔转换带,进而可形成不同的形态:板块可以停滞在660km不连续面,抑或穿过地幔转换带进入下地幔.这些不同的俯冲模式可进一步影响到海沟的运动.为更好地理解上地幔中俯冲板片的变形行为以及俯冲过程与海沟运动之间的关系,本文通过建立一系列高精度二维热-力学自由俯冲的数值模型,揭示了俯冲板块在上地幔中的变形方式及其与地幔转换带之间的相互作用过程.模拟结果显示,在俯冲板块与地幔转换带的相互作用过程中,其动力学过程可以分为以海沟后撤主导、海沟前进主导以及稳定型海沟等三种主要动力学类型.对于年龄较老,厚度较大的俯冲板块容易形成海沟后撤型俯冲,俯冲板块停滞在660km不连续面.相反,年龄较小,塑性强度较小的板块容易形成海沟前进型俯冲,俯冲板块穿越660km不连续面.     

Anisotropy and Flow in Pacific Subduction Zone Back-arcs

—We have obtained constraints on the strength and orientation of anisotropy in the mantle beneath the Tonga, southern Kuril, Japan, and Izu-Bonin subduction zones using shear-wave splitting in S phases from local earthquakes and in teleseismic core phases such as SKS. The observed splitting in all four subduction zones is consistent with a model in which the lower transition zone (520–660 km) and lower mantle are isotropic, and in which significant anisotropy occurs in the back-arc upper mantle. The upper transition zone (410–520 km) beneath the southern Kurils appears to contain weak anisotropy. The observed fast directions indicate that the geometry of back-arc strain in the upper mantle varies systematically across the western Pacific rim. Beneath Izu-Bonin and Tonga, fast directions are aligned with the azimuth of subducting Pacific plate motion and are parallel or sub-parallel to overriding plate extension. However, fast directions beneath the Japan Sea, western Honshu, and Sakhalin Island are highly oblique to subducting plate motion and parallel to present or past overriding plate shearing. Models of back-arc mantle flow that are driven by viscous coupling to local plate motions can reproduce the splitting observed in Tonga and Izu-Bonin, but further three-dimensional flow modeling is required to ascertain whether viscous plate coupling can explain the splitting observed in the southern Kurils and Japan. The fast directions in the southern Kurils and Japan may require strain in the back-arc mantle that is driven by regional or global patterns of mantle flow.     

华北克拉通及东邻西太平洋活动大陆边缘地区的P波速度结构：对岩石圈减薄动力学过程的探讨

本文通过地震层析成像研究获得了华北克拉通及其东邻地区（30°N-50°N,95°E -145°E）1°×1°的P波速度扰动图像.结果显示,在西太平洋俯冲带地区,上地幔中西倾的板片状高速异常体与其上方的低速异常区构成俯冲带与上覆地幔楔的典型速度结构式样.俯冲板片高速体在约300~400 km深度范围内被低速物质充填,暗示俯冲板片可能发生了断离.在华北克拉通地区的上地幔中发现三个东倾排列的高速异常带.在此基础上,本文构建了华北克拉通及其东邻西太平洋活动大陆边缘地区的上地幔速度结构模式图,并据此探讨克拉通岩石圈减薄与西太平洋活动大陆边缘的深部动力学联系.本文认为,太平洋板片的俯冲（断离）,触发热地幔物质上涌并在上覆地幔楔中形成对流,使克拉通岩石圈受到改造（底侵与弱化）.随着俯冲板片后撤,地幔楔中的对流场以及对岩石圈改造的影响范围均随之东移,最终导致华北克拉通岩石圈自下而上、从西向东分三个阶段依次拆沉减薄.这一模式能很好地解释现今克拉通岩石圈自西向东呈台阶状减薄的深部现象.     

The crust and upper mantle structure beneath southern Italy by earthquakes and DSS data

This paper describes a travel—time analysis performed for the Italian seismic stations, in particular those operating in southern Italy, in order to study the crust and upper mantle properties in the region. Average P-wave residuals of teleseisms in the distance range 30°–95° with respect to Jeffreys-Bullen tables, at thirteen permanent and temporary stations of southern Italy, are coherent with a high velocity zone beneath Calabria and northern Sicily and low velocity material in the mantle beneath the Eolian Islands. Travel—time residuals from Tyrrhenian intermediate earthquakes show a high velocity structure which extends in a NW direction from a depth of at least 200 km down to 450 km.A damped least-squares inversion applied to DSS data confirms the existence of low velocity zones in the crust beneath the Eolian Islands, at 8–12 km depth, that agrees with previous results and with the lack of S waves from local earthquakes.Publication No. 193, Progetto Finalizzato Geodinamica, CNR-Roma.     

Deformational behaviour of continental lithosphere deduced from block rotations across the North Anatolian fault zone in Turkey

Theoretical considerations of lithosphere deformation across transform plate boundaries predict an expression in terms of 3istributed deformation. The magnitude of rotation is expected to diminish away from the fault zone in a way which depends on the length of the fault, the amount of displacement, and the ductility of the lithosphere. Palaeomagnetic studies across the North Anatolian transform fault zone, which separates the Eurasian Plate and Anatolian Block in northern Turkey, show that clockwise rotations predicted from the sense of dextral motion are indeed present and have attained finite rotations of up to 270° during the 5 Ma history of Neotectonic deformation. Such rotations are, however, confined to narrow ( 10 km wide) zones between system-bounding faults and appear to have resulted from rotation in ball-bearing fashion of equidimensional blocks a few kilometres in size. Outside of this zone only anticlockwise rotations are observed; these are unrelated to deformation across the fault zone and record regional anticlockwise rotation of Turkey which is complementing clockwise rotation of Greece and accompanying Neogene opening of the Aegean Sea. The observed behaviour of continental lithosphere satisfies no plausible value of power law behaviour. We therefore conclude that relative motion across this transform boundary occurs as a discrete zone of intense deformation within a brittle layer comprising the seismogenic upper crust. This is presumed to be detached from a continuum deformation response to shearing in the lower crust and mantle beneath.     

冲绳板块应力场数值模拟及其动力学特征div>

冲绳板块位于菲律宾海板块向欧亚板块俯冲形成的西太平洋边缘活动带上,构造应力场图像及其动力学机制表现得相当复杂．采用伪三维有限元方法,以WSM2008 观测应力场数据的应力取向和应力型两方面指标作为主要约束,对冲绳板块构造应力场进行了数值模拟．通过对计算结果的分析,对模型涉及的各种作用力作出了估计．在此基础上,对冲绳板块岩石层的状态,以及该地区的板块动力学特征进行了探讨,并得到了以下一些初步认识:① 软流层静压推力控制着该地区构造应力场的基本形态;② 冲绳海槽的演化过程,例如该地区的岩石层减薄与其下地幔流的上升等,也在很大程度上影响了该地区的板内应力场空间分布特征;③ 琉球俯冲带边界力的作用是分段的,不同区段作用力对板内应力场的影响有所不同．      

Why did Arabia separate from Africa? Insights from 3-D laboratory experiments

We have performed 3-D scaled lithospheric experiments to investigate the role of the gravitational force exerted by a subducting slab on the deformation of the subducting plate itself. Experiments have been constructed using a dense silicone putty plate, to simulate a thin viscous lithosphere, floating in the middle of a large box filled with glucose syrup, simulating the upper mantle. We examine three different plate configurations: (i) subduction of a uniform oceanic plate, (ii) subduction of an oceanic-continental plate system and, (iii) subduction of a more complex oceanic-continental system simulating the asymmetric Africa-Eurasia system. Each model has been performed with and without the presence of a circular weak zone inside the subducting plate to test the near-surface weakening effect of a plume activity. Our results show that a subducting plate can deform in its interior only if the force distribution varies laterally along the subduction zone, i.e. by the asymmetrical entrance of continental material along the trench. In particular, extensional deformation of the plate occurs when a portion of the subduction zone is locked by the collisional process. The results of this study can be used to analyze the formation of the Arabian plate. We found that intraplate stresses, similar to those that generated the Africa-Arabia break-up, can be related to the Neogene evolution of the northern convergent margin of the African plate, where a lateral change from collision (Mediterranean and Bitlis) to active subduction (Makran) has been described. Second, intraplate stress and strain localization are favored by the presence of a weakness zone, such as the one generated by the Afar plume, producing a pattern of extensional deformation belts resembling the Red Sea-Gulf of Aden rift system.