scholarly journals Thermo‐Mechanical Numerical Modeling of the South American Subduction Zone: A Multi‐Parametric Investigation

2021 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Strak ◽  
W. P. Schellart
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Modeling ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
South American ◽  
The South ◽  
Parametric Investigation

scholarly journals Thermo-mechanical numerical modelling of the South American subduction zone: a multi-parametric investigation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Strak ◽  
Wouter P. Schellart
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Modelling ◽  
Yield Stress ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Upper Mantle ◽  
South American ◽  
The South ◽  
Parametric Investigation ◽  
Plate Velocity ◽  
Subducting Plate ◽  
Mantle Rheology

Abstract. The South American subduction zone remains a topic of debate with long-lasting questions involving the origin of non-collisional orogeny and the effect of very large trench-parallel extent, slab sinking to great mantle depths, and aseismic ridge subduction. A key to help solve those issues is through studying the subduction zone dynamics with buoyancy-driven numerical modelling that uses constrained independent variables in order to best approximate the dynamics of the real subduction system. We conduct a parametric investigation on the effect of upper mantle rheology (Newtonian or non-Newtonian), subduction interface yield stress and slab thermal weakening. As a means of constraining those model variables we attempt to find best-fits by comparing our model outcomes with the present-day upper- and lower-mantle slab geometry observed on tomography models and obtained from earthquake hypocentre locations, as well as with estimates of Cenozoic velocities obtained from kinematic reconstruction. Key ingredients that need to be reproduced are slab flattening close to the surface, strong oscillation of the Farallon-Nazca subducting plate velocity and progressive decrease in trench retreat rate after a long period of time. We include these ingredients to define a model fitting score that contains a total of 9 criteria. Our best fitting model involves significant slab thermal weakening in order to attain the fast Farallon-Nazca subducting plate velocity and to better reproduce the subduction partitioning in the past 48 Myr, due to strong reduction of the shear stresses resisting downdip slab sinking and of the slab bending resistance. We further find that a non-Newtonian upper mantle rheology promotes slab folding and realistic associated oscillation of the subducting plate velocity. Our parametric study also indicates that the subduction interface must be weak in agreement with earlier laboratory subduction models, but not too weak, with a yield stress of ~ 14–21 MPa, otherwise the fit becomes poor. Our models moreover suggest that slab folding at the 660 km discontinuity can be a cause of the Farallon-Nazca subducting plate velocity oscillation. Whether and how this slab folding process induces periodic/episodic variations in deformation of the Andes remains an open question that requires further research.

scholarly journals Testing stress shadowing effects at the South American subduction zone

2017 ◽  
Vol 211 (2) ◽  
pp. 1272-1283 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Roth ◽  
T. Dahm ◽  
S. Hainzl
Keyword(s):  
Subduction Zone ◽  
South American ◽  
The South ◽  
Shadowing Effects

scholarly journals GNSS Constraints to Active Tectonic Deformations of the South American Continental Margin in Ecuador

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4003
Author(s):  
José Tamay ◽  
Jesús Galindo-Zaldivar ◽  
John Soto ◽  
Antonio J. Gil
Keyword(s):  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Main Tool ◽  
South American ◽  
The South ◽  
Nazca Plate ◽  
South American Plate ◽  
The North ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Active Tectonic ◽  
Plate Subduction

GNSS observations constitute the main tool to reveal Earth’s crustal deformations in order to improve the identification of geological hazards. The Ecuadorian Andes were formed by Nazca Plate subduction below the Pacific margin of the South American Plate. Active tectonic-related deformation continues to present, and it is constrained by 135 GPS stations of the RENAGE and REGME deployed by the IGM in Ecuador (1995.4–2011.0). They show a regional ENE displacement, increasing towards the N, of the deformed North Andean Sliver in respect to the South American Plate and Inca Sliver relatively stable areas. The heterogeneous displacements towards the NNE of the North Andean Sliver are interpreted as consequences of the coupling of the Carnegie Ridge in the subduction zone. The Dolores–Guayaquil megashear constitutes its southeastern boundary and includes the dextral to normal transfer Pallatanga fault, that develops the Guayaquil Gulf. This fault extends northeastward along the central part of the Cordillera Real, in relay with the reverse dextral Cosanga–Chingual fault and finally followed by the reverse dextral Sub-Andean fault zone. While the Ecuadorian margin and Andes is affected by ENE–WSW shortening, the easternmost Manabí Basin located in between the Cordillera Costanera and the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes, underwent moderate ENE–WSW extension and constitutes an active fore-arc basin of the Nazca plate subduction. The integration of the GPS and seismic data evidences that highest rates of deformation and the highest tectonic hazards in Ecuador are linked: to the subduction zone located in the coastal area; to the Pallatanga transfer fault; and to the Eastern Andes Sub-Andean faults.

scholarly journals Subduction initiation in the Scotia Sea region and opening of the Drake Passage: when and why?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanna van de Lagemaat ◽  
Merel Swart ◽  
Bram Vaes ◽  
Martha Kosters ◽  
Lydian Boschman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Drake Passage ◽  
Plate Motion ◽  
South American ◽  
The South ◽  
South American Plate ◽  
Scotia Sea ◽  
The Antarctic

<p>During evolution of the South Sandwich subduction zone, which has consumed South American plate oceanic lithosphere, somehow continental crust of both the South American and Antarctic plates have become incorporated into its upper plate. Continental fragments of both plates are currently separated by small oceanic basins in the upper plate above the South Sandwich subduction zone, in the Scotia Sea region, but how fragments of both continents became incorporated in the same upper plate remains enigmatic. Here we present an updated kinematic reconstruction of the Scotia Sea region using the latest published marine magnetic anomaly constraints, and place this in a South America-Africa-Antarctica plate circuit in which we take intracontinental deformation into account. We show that a change in fracture zone orientation in the Weddell Sea requires that previously inferred initiation of subduction of South American oceanic crust of the northern Weddell below the eastern margin of South Orkney Islands continental crust, then still attached to the Antarctic Peninsula, already occurred around 80 Ma. We propose that subsequently, between ~71-50 Ma, the trench propagated northwards into South America by delamination of South American lithosphere: this resulted in the transfer of delaminated South American continental crust to the overriding plate of the South Sandwich subduction zone. We show continental delamination may have been facilitated by absolute southward motion of South America that was resisted by South Sandwich slab dragging. Pre-drift extension preceding the oceanic Scotia Sea basins led around 50 Ma to opening of the Drake Passage, preconditioning the southern ocean for the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. This 50 Ma extension was concurrent with a strong change in absolute plate motion of the South American Plate that changed from S to WNW, leading to upper plate retreat relative to the more or less mantle stationary South Sandwich Trench that did not partake in the absolute plate motion change. While subduction continued, this mantle-stationary trench setting lasted until ~30 Ma, after which rollback started to contribute to back-arc extension. We find that roll-back and upper plate retreat have contributed more or less equally to the total amount of ~2000 km of extension accommodated in the Scotia Sea basins. We highlight that viewing tectonic motions in a context of absolute plate motion is key for identifying slab motion (e.g. rollback, trench-parallel slab dragging) and consequently mantle-forcing of geological processes.</p>

Seismic structure along the South American subduction zone using satellite gravity data

2019 ◽  
pp. 3-24
Author(s):  
Orlando Alvarez ◽  
Stefanie Pechuan ◽  
Mario Gimenez ◽  
Andrés Folguera
Keyword(s):  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Gravity Data ◽  
South American ◽  
Seismic Structure ◽  
The South ◽  
Satellite Gravity
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