Geometry and structure of the Vitiaz Trench Lineament (SW Pacific)

Swath bathymetric, sonar imagery and seismic reflection data collected during the SOPACMAPS cruise Leg 3 over segments of the Vitiaz Trench Lineament and adjacent areas provide new insights on the geometry and the stuctural evolution of this seismically inactive lineament. The Vitiaz Trench Lineament, although largely unknown, is one of the most important tectonic feature in the SW Pacific because it separates the Cretaceous crust of the Pacific Plate to the north from the Cenozoic lithosphere of the North Fiji and Lau Basins to the south. The lineament is considered to be the convergent plate boundary between the Pacific and Australian Plates during midde to late Tertiary time when the Vitiaz Arc was a continuous east-facing are from the Tonga to the Solomon Islands before the development of the North Fiji and Lau Basins. Progressive reversal and cessation of subduction from west to east in the Late Miocene-Lower Plioene have been also proposed. However, precise structures and age of initiation and cessation of deformation along the Vitiaz Trench Lineament are unknown.The lineament consists of the Vitiaz Trench and three discontinuous and elongated troughs (Alexa, Rotuma and Horne Troughs) which connect the Vitiaz Trench to the northern end of the Tonga Trench. Our survey of the Alexa and Rotuma Troughs reveals that the lineament is composed of a series of WNW-ESE and ENE-WSW trending segments in front of large volcanic massifs belonging to the Melanesian Border Plateau, a WNW trending volcanic belt of seamounts and ridges on Pacific crust. The Plateau and Pacific plate lying immediately north of the lineament have been affected by intense normal faulting, collapse, and volcanism as evidenced by a series of tilted blocks, grabens, horsts and ridges trending N 120° to N100° and N60°–70°. This tectonism includes several normal faulting episodes, the latest being very recent and possibly still active. The trend of the fault scarps and volcanic ridges parallels the different segments of the Vitiaz Trench Lineament, suggesting that tectonics and volcanism are related to crustal motion along the lineament.Although the superficial observed features are mainly extensional, they are interpreted as the result of shortening along the Vitiaz Trench Lineament. The fabric north of the lineament would result from subduction-induced normal faulting on the outer wall of the trench and the zig-zag geometry of the Vitiaz Trench Lineament might be due to collision of large volcanic edifices of the Melanesian Border Plateau with the trench, provoking trench segmentation along left-lateral ENE-WSW trending transform zones. The newly acquired bathymetric and seismic data suggest that crustal motion (tectonism associated with volcanism) continued up to recent times along the Vitiaz Trench Lineament and was active during the development of the North Fiji Basin.     

Evidence for sinistral strike-slip deformation in The Solomon Island arc

During the SOPACMAPS 2 crusie carried out by IFREMER (Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer) and ORSTOM (Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le dévelopement en Coopération) on theR/V L'Atalante, in the Central Solomon Arc area, multibeam bathymetric and imagery data and single-channel seismic reflection profiles were collected from an area of about 3500 km², to evaluate regional tectonics. Structural data geophysical profiles interpretation provide evidence for left-lateral transtensional tectonics on the southern edge of the Central Solomon Trough. This transtensional deformation is represented by faulting, block tilting, and rhombohedral deformation. The regional geology and the analysis of the sedimentary cover allow us to demonstrate that this tectonic occurred in two different phases during Oligocene to Miocene and Pliocene to Pleistocene times.     

Volcanism and Tectonics of the Central Deep Basin,Sea of Japan

The paper presents the results of a study on the geomorphic structure, tectonic setting, and volcanism of the volcanoes and volcanic ridges in the deep Central Basin of the Sea of Japan. The ridges rise 500–600 m above the acoustic basement of the basin. These ridges were formed on fragments of thinned continental crust along deep faults submeridionally crossing the Central Basin and the adjacent continental part of the Primorye. The morphostructures of the basin began to submerge below sea level in the Middle Miocene and reached their contemporary positions in the Pliocene. Volcanism in the Central Basin occurred mostly in the Middle Miocene–Pliocene and formed marginal-sea basaltoids with OIB (ocean island basalt) geochemical signatures indicating the lower-mantle plume origin of these rocks. The OIB signatures of basaltoids tend to be expressed better in the eastern part of the Central Basin, where juvenile oceanic crust has developed. The genesis of this crust is probably related to rising and melting of the Pacific superplume apophyse.     

From strike-slip faulting to oblique subduction: A survey of the Alpine Fault-Puysegur Trench transition,New Zealand,results of cruise Geodynz-sud leg 2

The Geodynz-sud cruise on board the R/V l'Atalante collected bathymetric, side-scan sonar and seismic reflection data along the obliquely convergent boundary between the Australian and Pacific plates southwest of the South Island, New Zealand. The survey area extended from 44°05 S to 49°40 S, covering the transition zone between the offshore extension of the Alpine Fault and the Puysegur Trench and Puysegur Ridge. Based on variations in the nature and structure of the crust on either side of the margin, the plate boundary zone can be divided into three domains with distinctive structural and sedimentary characteristics. The northern domain involves subduction of probably thinned continental crust of the southern Challenger Plateau beneath the continental crust of Fiordland. It is characterized by thick sediments on the downgoing slab and a steep continental slope disrupted by fault scarps and canyons. The middle domain marks the transition between subduction of likely continental and oceanic crust defined by a series of en echelon ridges on the downgoing slab. This domain is characterized by a large collapse terrace on the continental slope which appears to be due to the collision of the en echelon ridges with the plate margin. The southern domain involves subduction of oceanic crust beneath continental and oceanic crust. This domain is characterized by exposed fabric of seafloor spreading on the downgoing slab, a steep inner trench wall and linear ridges and valleys on the Puysegur ridge crest. The data collected on this cruise provide insights into the nature and history of both plates, and factors influencing the distribution of strike-slip and compressive strain and the evolution of subduction processes along a highly oblique convergent margin.     

Backarc spreading,rifting, and microplate rotation,between transform faults in the Manus Basin

The Manus Basin in the eastern Bismarck Sea is a fastopening backarc basin behind the New Britain arc-trench system. Within the basin, motion between the Pacific and Bismarck plates about a pole located at 11° S, 145° E, occurs along three major leftlateral transform faults and a variety of extensional segments. We interpret SeaMARC II sidescan and other geophysical data to show that a Brunhes age plate reorganization created new extensional boundaries and a microplate between the NW-trending Willaumez, Djaul, and Weitin transforms. Two linked spreading segments formed in backarc basin crust between the Willaumez and Djaul transforms: the ESE-trending extensional transform zone (ETZ) in the west and the Manus spreading center (MSC) in the east. Positively magnetized crust on the MSC forms a wedge varying in width from 72 km at its southwest end to zero at its northeast tip, with corresponding Brunhes spreading rates varying from 92 mm/yr to zero. The MSC forms the northwestern boundary of the 100 km-scale Manus microplate and opens at 51°/m.y. about a pole near its apex at 3°02S, 150°32E. Opposite the MSC, bordering the arc margin of New Britain, the microplate is bound by a zone of broadly distributed strike slip motion, extension, and volcanism. Within this area, the Southern Rifts contain a series of grabens partially floored by lava flows. Left-lateral motion between the Pacific and Bismarck plates appears to drive the counterclockwise pivoting motion of the Manus microplate and the complementary wedge-like opening of the MSC and the Southern Rifts. The pivoting motion of the microplate has resulted in compressional areas along its NE and SW boundaries with the Pacific and Bismarck plates respectively. East of the microplate, between the Djaul and Weitin transforms and within the arc margin of New Ireland, another zone of broad extension referred to as the Southeast Rifts takes up opening in a pull-apart basin. There, en echelon volcanic ridges may be the precursors of spreading segments, but erupted lavas include calcalkaline volcanics. Kinematic modeling and marine geophysical observations indicate that the responses to similar amounts of extension in the eastern Manus Basin have varied as a function of the different types of pre-existing crust: arc crust tectonically stretched over a broad area whereas backarc crust underwent relatively little stretching before accommodating extension by seafloor spreading.     

西太平洋侏罗纪海洋地壳断裂特征及其成因机制*

侏罗纪洋壳为现存最古老的海洋地壳, 残留在地球表面上很少, 目前对于侏罗纪洋壳的断裂特征和构造变形了解很少。本文利用高分辨率的反射地震剖面精细解释了位于西太平洋的侏罗纪洋壳基底、沉积地层和断裂结构, 发现在研究区存在基底断层、沉积断层和垮塌断层三种类型的断裂构造, 并对其走向、倾角、断距等几何参数与变形特征进行了推测和定量研究。研究还发现, 基底断层是洋壳受到板块伸展拉张而产生的, 在后期海底沉积过程中持续发育并错断上覆沉积物, 在海底形成明显的断层陡坎。沉积断层是沉积地层自身重力作用的产物,受到沉积地层岩石性质的控制。垮塌断层是岩浆侵出或者侵入形成海山, 导致洋壳及其上覆沉积局部抬升并向两侧推移, 引起先存的基底断层和沉积断层重新错动产生的。研究区内切断洋壳基底和上覆沉积的活动断层的推测走向大体符合侏罗纪洋壳基底面起伏、重力异常骤变界面以及地磁异常条带等的走向, 表明这些断裂从侏罗纪洋中脊的海底扩张中演变而来, 并且持续活动至今。这些发育在古老洋壳上的断层能够长时间让水进入岩石圈并进入俯冲带及地球内部, 从而促进地球水循环。尽管目前尚未发现这些断裂产生大地震, 但这些断层可能随着板块俯冲而演变成俯冲带地震大断裂, 今后研究应该关注这类断层在靠近海沟之前的演化规律和潜在地震风险。     

Structure and Quaternary tectonic history of the Woodlark triple junction region,Solomon Islands

The Woodlark triple junction region, a topographically and structurally complex triangular area of Quaternary age, lies east of Simbo Ridge and southwest of the New Georgia island group, Solomon Islands, at the junction of the Pacific, Australian and Solomon Sea plates. SeaMARC II side-scan imagery and bathymetry in conjunction with seismic reflection profiles, 3.5 kHz records, and petrologic, magnetic and gravity data show that the active Woodlark spreading centre does not extend into this region.South of the triple junction region, the Woodlark spreading centre reoriented at about 2 Ma into a series of short ESE-trending segments. These segments continued to spread until about 0.5 Ma, when the lithosphere on their northern sides was transferred from the Solomon Sea plate to the Australian plate. Simultaneously the Simbo transform propagated northwards along the western side of the transferred lithosphere, forming a trench-trench-transform triple junction located NNW of Simbo island and a new leaky plate boundary segment that built Simbo Ridge.As the Pacific plate approached, the area east of northern Simbo Ridge was tilted northwards, sheared by dominantly right-lateral faults, elevated, and intruded by arc-related magmas to form Ghizo Ridge. Calc-alkalic magmas sourced beneath the Pacific plate built three large strato-volcanic edifices on the subducting Australian plate: Simbo at the northern end of Simbo Ridge, and Kana Keoki and Coleman seamounts on an extensional fracture adjoining the SE end of Ghizo Ridge.A sediment drape, supplied in part from Simbo and Kana Keoki volcanoes, mantles the east-facing slopes of northern Simbo and Ghizo Ridges and passes distally into sediment ponded in the trench adjoining the Pacific plate. As a consequence of plate convergence, parts of the sediment drape and pond are presently being deformed, and faults are dismembering Kana Keoki and Coleman seamounts.The Woodlark system differs from other modern or Tertiary ridge subduction systems, which show wide variation in character and behaviour. Existing models describing the consequences of ridge subduction are likely to be predictive in only a general way, and deduced rules for the behaviour of oceanic lithosphere in ridge subduction systems may not be generally applicable.     

Neogene geological history of the Tohoku Island Arc system

The Pacific-type orogeny in the Tohoku Island Arc is discussed using marine geological and geophysical data from both Pacific and Japan Sea along the Tohoku region. The Tohoku Arc is divided into three belts; inner volcanic and sedimentary belt, intermediate uplifted belt and outer sedimentary trench belt. Thick Neogene sediments which are distinguished in several layers by continuous seismic reflection profiling occur on both sides of the intermediate belt. The dominant structural trend of the Neogene layers is approximately parallel to the coast line and to the axis of the Japan Trench and has a extension of approximately 100 km in each unit on the Pacific side. The trench slope break is an uplifted zone of Neogene layers. The structural trend of the upper continental slope and outer shelf is relative uplift of the landward side. Tilted block movement toward the west is the dominant structural trend on the Japan Sea side. Structural trends which can be seen in both the inner and outer belts may suggest horizontal compressional stress of east to west. Orogenesis and tectogenesis in the Tohoku Arc has been active since early Miocene or latest Oligocene. It may be implied that the Japan Trench was not present during Late Cretaceous to Paleogene, as is suggested by the volcanism of the Tohoku Arc. The basic framework of the present structure was formed during late Miocene to early Pliocene in both the inner and outer belts. Structural movements were reactivated during late Pleistocene.     

Numerical simulation of the action of distant tsunamis on the Russian Far East coast

Results of a numerical simulation of the action of distant tsunamis on the coast of the Russian Far East are presented. It is shown that waves generated by focuses of the strongest M9 earthquakes in the region of South Chilean coast, as well as in the region of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, are most dangerous for this coast. Other tsunamigenic zones of the Pacific Ocean, by virtue of their geographical position, orientation of focuses, and absence of pronounced channels (submarine ridges) along paths of tsunami propagation are not dangerous for it even at a limit magnitude of submarine subduction earthquakes. The simulation results are compared with historical data about manifestations of distant tsunamis on the Russian Far East coast.     

The Stability of Tide Gauges in the South Pacific Determined from Multiepoch Geodetic Levelling, 1992 to 2010

Tide gauge data is important for determining global or local sea level rise with respect to a global geocentric reference frame. Data from repeated precise levelling connections between the tide gauges and a series of coastal and inland benchmarks, including Continuous GPS (CGPS) benchmarks, are used to determine the stability of tide gauges at 12 locations in the South Pacific. The method for determining this stability is based on a constant velocity model which minimises the net movement amongst a set of datum benchmarks surveyed since the installation of the tide gauges. When assessed at a 95% confidence interval, and with the exception of the Solomon Islands, none of the tide gauges were found to be in motion relative to their CGPS benchmarks. The Solomon Islands estimate is considered to be unreliable since the CGPS benchmark was recently established and has been surveyed fewer than three times. In Tonga and Cook Islands, the tide gauges were found to be disturbed or affected by survey errors whereas the Vanuatu results were affected by earthquakes.     

Seismic stratigraphy and structure of the Northland Plateau and the development of the Vening Meinesz transform margin,SW Pacific Ocean

The Northland Plateau and the Vening Meinesz “Fracture” Zone (VMFZ), separating southwest Pacific backarc basins from New Zealand Mesozoic crust, are investigated with new data. The 12–16 km thick Plateau comprises a volcanic outer plateau and an inner plateau sedimentary basin. The outer plateau has a positive magnetic anomaly like that of the Three Kings Ridge. A rift margin was found between the Three Kings Ridge and the South Fiji Basin. Beneath the inner plateau basin, is a thin body interpreted as allochthon and parautochthon, which probably includes basalt. The basin appears to have been created by Early Miocene mainly transtensive faulting, which closely followed obduction of the allochthon and was coeval with arc volcanism. VMFZ faulting was eventually concentrated along the edge of the continental shelf and upper slope. Consequently arc volcanoes in a chain dividing the inner and outer plateau are undeformed whereas volcanoes, in various stages of burial, within the basin and along the base of the upper slope are generally faulted. Deformed and flat-lying Lower Miocene volcanogenic sedimentary rocks are intimately associated with the volcanoes and the top of the allochthon; Middle Miocene to Recent units are, respectively, mildly deformed to flat-lying, calcareous and turbiditic. Many parts of the inner plateau basin were at or above sea level in the Early Miocene, apparently as isolated highs that later subsided differentially to 500–2,000 m below sea level. A mild, Middle Miocene compressive phase might correlate with events of the Reinga and Wanganella ridges to the west. Our results agree with both arc collision and arc unzipping regional kinematic models. We present a continental margin model that begins at the end of the obduction phase. Eastward rifting of the Norfolk Basin, orthogonal to the strike of the Norfolk and Three Kings ridges, caused the Northland Plateau to tear obliquely from the Reinga Ridge portion of the margin, initiating the inner plateau basin and the Cavalli core complex. Subsequent N115° extension and spreading parallel with the Cook Fracture Zone completed the southeastward translation of the Three Kings Ridge and Northland Plateau and further opened the inner plateau basin, leaving a complex dextral transform volcanic margin.     

An integrated geophysical study of Vestbakken Volcanic Province, western Barents Sea continental margin, and adjacent oceanic crust

This paper describes results from a geophysical study in the Vestbakken Volcanic Province, located on the central parts of the western Barents Sea continental margin, and adjacent oceanic crust in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea. The results are derived mainly from interpretation and modeling of multichannel seismic, ocean bottom seismometer and land station data along a regional seismic profile. The resulting model shows oceanic crust in the western parts of the profile. This crust is buried by a thick Cenozoic sedimentary package. Low velocities in the bottom of this package indicate overpressure. The igneous oceanic crust shows an average thickness of 7.2 km with the thinnest crust (5–6 km) in the southwest and the thickest crust (8–9 km) close to the continent-ocean boundary (COB). The thick oceanic crust is probably related to high mantle temperatures formed by brittle weakening and shear heating along a shear system prior to continental breakup. The COB is interpreted in the central parts of the profile where the velocity structure and Bouguer anomalies change significantly. East of the COB Moho depths increase while the vertical velocity gradient decreases. Below the assumed center for Early Eocene volcanic activity the model shows increased velocities in the crust. These increased crustal velocities are interpreted to represent Early Eocene mafic feeder dykes. East of the zone of volcanoes velocities in the crust decrease and sedimentary velocities are observed at depths of more than 10 km. The amount of crustal intrusions is much lower in this area than farther west. East of the Kn?legga Fault crystalline basement velocities are brought close to the seabed. This fault marks the eastern limit of thick Cenozoic and Mesozoic packages on central parts of the western Barents Sea continental margin.     

Geologic structure and neotectonics of the North African Continental Margin south of Sicily

Marine geological and geophysical data together with drilling information indicate that the North African passive continental margin has been subjected to extension and wrenching after it collided with the northern part of Sicily. The area of the Tripolitania Basin, Jarrafa Trough, Melita and Medina Bank and the Ragusa-Malta Plateau has formed part of a sinking passive margin since the dispersal of Gondwanaland at about 180 My ago as observed from geohistory diagrams. A record of rifting in a NW-SE direction accompanied by dextral shear along the southern troughs is observed in seismic reflection data. The rifting started during the Neocomian and lasted until the Eocene when activity became minor. A pre-Middle Miocene period of northward subduction of oceanic crust is inferred from the geology in NE Sicily. Uplift of the northern part of the African margin after collision in the Middle Miocene is seen in wells in southern Sicily. After the Messinian a rift and dextral shear zone established itself across the African Margin from the Strait of Sicily to the Medina Ridge in the lonian Basin. The zone is marked by up to 1.7 km deep grabens, narrow active wrench faulted channels, volcanic fissures and local uplifted ‘Keilhorsts’ such as Malta. This zone, which varies in width from 100 to 35 km, forms the southern boundary of a microplate which includes Sicily. We speculate that the present motion of this microplate is partly due to the eastward movement of the Calabrian Arc with the Sicilian block over the last remaining oceanic lithosphere in the Eastern Mediterranean.     

南沙群岛海域第四纪颗石藻类初步研究

通过对南沙海域表层沉积及活塞钻孔中颗石藻化石相对丰度和属种分异度的分析,得出颗石藻的组合面貌,并讨论了影响颗石藻组合的环境因素及晚更新世以来的气候变化。     

Structure of oceanic crust adjacent to a transform margin segment: the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana transform margin

The structure of the oceanic crust adjacent to the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana transform margin is deduced from multichannel seismic reflection and seismic wide-angle data, showing crustal heterogeneities within oceanic basement; the oceanic crust adjacent to the transform margin is half as thick as standard Atlantic oceanic crust. Refraction data indicate a gradual velocity transition towards typical mantle velocities. Such an abnormal oceanic crustal structure appears quite similar to crustal structures known along transform faults. This crustal thinning may be related to thermal effects of the nearby continental crust, on the oceanic accretion processes. We did not find geophysical evidence for oceanic crust contamination by continental lithosphere.     

Lithospheric structure along the Queen Charlotte margin in western Canada: constraints from flexural modeling

 The Queen Charlotte fault zone along the western margin of Canada, a right-lateral transform, is part of the boundary between the Pacific and North America plates. Combining reflection and refraction surveys and flexural modeling, we place limits on the amount of underthrusting of the Pacific plate beneath the North America plate. Results from our two-dimensional elastic modeling suggest 10–15 km of underthrusting along the northern Queen Charlotte Islands, in agreement with the amount of underthrusting inferred from plate motion models. Received: 12 June 1995/Revision received: 9 December 1995     

Anatomy of a continent-backarc transform — The Vening Meinesz Fracture Zone northwest of New Zealand

The northwestern continental margin of New Zealand offers one of the finest examples of a continent-backarc transform. This transform, part of the Vening Meinesz Fracture Zone (VMFZ), accommodated about 170 km of sea-floor spreading in the Norfolk backare basin together with eastward migration of a volcanic arc, the Three Kings Ridge, in the Mid- to Late Miocene. Before the onset of spreading, strain along the VMFZ may have been linked to a major Early Miocene obduction event — the emplacement of the Northland Allochthon. The transform is manifested by a belt up to 50 km wide of left-stepping, linear fault scarps up to 2000 m high within an approximately 100 km-wide deformed zone. A marginal ridge, the Reinga Ridge, which includes a faulted, folded and uplifted Miocene sedimentary basin, occurs within the high-standing continental side of the deformed zone, whereas a narrow strip of linear detached blocks occupies the deep backarc oceanic side. Prespreading uplift and erosion of crust in the proto-backarc region, are volcanism, and obduction of the allochthon, supplied clastic sediments to the basin on the continental side. This basin was complexly deformed as the transform evolved. The transform was initiated as a dextral strike-slip fault zone, which developed right-branching splays and left-steps along its length, uplifting and cutting the continental margin into left-hand, en echelon blocks and relays. Folds formed locally within relay blocks and at the distal ends of the splays. Only the high continental side of this zone (the Reinga Ridge) remains, the formerly adjacent crust (the Three Kings Ridge) having been displaced towards the southeast. As the Three Kings block moved and the Norfolk Basin opened, opposing rift margins of the backarc basin foundered to form terraces. The oceanic side of the transform also subsided to produce the belt of detached blocks (some laterally displaced by strike slip) and linear troughs along the main escarpment system.     

Tracking the paleogene India-Arabia plate boundary

The location of the India-Arabia plate boundary prior to the formation of the Sheba ridge in the Gulf of Aden is a matter of debate. A seismic dataset crossing the Owen Fracture Zone, the Owen Basin, and the Oman Margin was acquired to track the past locations of the India-Arabia plate boundary. We highlight the composite age of the Owen Basin basement, made of Paleocene oceanic crust drilled on its eastern part, and composed of pre-Maastrichtian continental and oceanic crust overlaid by ophiolites emplaced in Early Paleocene on its western side. A major fossil transform fault system crossing the Owen Basin juxtaposed these two slivers of lithosphere of different ages, and controlled the uplift of marginal ridges along the Oman Margin. This transform system deactivated ∼40 Myrs ago, coeval with the onset of ultra-slow spreading at the Carlsberg Ridge. The transform boundary then jumped to the edge of the present-day Owen Ridge during the Late Eocene-Oligocene period, before seafloor spreading began at the Sheba Ridge. This migration of the plate boundary involved the transfer of a part of the Indian oceanic lithosphere formed at the Carlsberg Ridge to Arabia. This Late Eocene-Oligocene tectonic episode at the India-Arabia plate boundary is synchronous with a global plate reorganization event corresponding to geological events at the Zagros and Himalaya belts. The Owen Ridge uplifted later, in Late Miocene times, and is unrelated to any major migration of the India-Arabia boundary.     

无震脊或海山链俯冲对超俯冲带处的地质效应

全球海底分布着众多的无震脊或海山链,且在太平洋、印度洋及大西洋均存在靠近俯冲带的海岭。除小安德列斯弧外的巴拉克达脊和蒂勃朗脊起源自转换断层外,一般认为它们由与板块构造动力学迥异的地幔柱动力学所形成的。在板块汇聚边缘处,与扩张脊处所形成的正常洋壳一起,无震脊或海山链俯冲于陆缘弧或洋内弧之下,其对弧及弧后地区的地质效应(构造、地貌、地震以及岩浆作用等)有别于正常洋壳俯冲。无震脊或海山链的俯冲通常造成俯冲带地区的上驮板块的局部异常抬升、俯冲剥蚀作用效应的加强、海沟的向陆迁移以及地震强度的增加。同时,无震脊或海山链俯冲时,其携带的具富集地球化学特征的物质不仅影响着地幔地球化学,也对弧及弧后火山熔岩化学产生明显影响,并对超俯冲地区的热液矿床的形成产生重要影响。最后,本文指出了我国有关无震脊或海山链俯冲的可能的研究方向包括黄岩海山链俯冲对吕宋岛弧的可能影响、印度洋无震脊俯冲对青藏高原局部地区的影响,有我国学者参与的IODP344航次的研究对象——科科斯脊俯冲对哥斯达黎加地震成因的效应以及位于西太平洋地区靠近俯冲带的一些无震脊等。