Deep geodynamics of far field intercontinental back-arc extension: Formation of Cenozoic volcanoes in northeastern China

There are three cases of variation of trench location possible to occur during subduction: trench fixed, trench advancing, and trench retreating. Retreat of trench may lead to back-arc extension. The Pacific plate subducts at low angle beneath the Eurasia plate, tomographic results indicate that the subducted Pacific slab does not penetrate the 670 km discontinuity, instead, it is lying flat above the interface. The flattening occurred about 28 Ma ago. Geodynamic computation suggests: when the frontier of the subducted slab reaches the phase boundary of lower and upper mantle, it may be hindered and turn flat lying above the boundary, facilitates the retreat of trench and back-arc extension. Volcanism in northeastern China is likely a product of such retreat of subduction, far field back-arc extension, and melting due to reduce of pressure while mantle upwelling. Foundation item: National Natural Science Foundation of China (40234042 and 40174027).     

西太平洋板块向我国东北地区深部俯冲的数值模拟

本文采用依赖温度的黏度结构以及考虑海洋板块和大陆板块厚度差异等特征,以太平洋板块向欧亚板块会聚速率作为板块速度的主要约束,通过变化海沟后撤速度模型,数值模拟西太平洋板块向中国东北的俯冲过程.结果表明,要产生类似于中国东北之下低角度的板片俯冲,海沟后撤是重要条件;而上下地幔黏度的较大差异是决定俯冲板片不穿透660 km相变面的决定因素;西太平洋板块向欧亚板块的俯冲应早于70 Ma B.P.,海沟后撤速度可能小于一些地质学家估计的45 mm/a, 而且可能是分阶段变化的;速度场表明运动学模型的反过程：大陆岩石圈之下物质的不断水平向东的流动和推挤可能成为海沟后撤的力源之一,地幔物质的这种东向流动可能与印度板块挤压碰撞欧亚板块有关,沿欧亚板块东缘的扩张构造可能是太平洋-欧亚板块运动和印度-欧亚板块运动的综合效应.     

The influence of trench migration on slab penetration into the lower mantle

A two-dimensional numerical convection model in cartesian geometry is used to study the influence of trench migration on the ability of subducted slabs to penetrate an endothermic phase boundary at 660 km depth. The transient subduction history of an oceanic plate is modelled by imposing plate and trench motion at the surface. The viscosity depends on temperature and depth. A variety of styles of slab behaviour is found, depending predominantly on the trench velocity. When trench retreat is faster than 2–4 cm/a, the descending slab flattens above the phase boundary. At slower rates it penetrates straight into the lower mantle, although flattening in the transition zone may occur later, leading to a complex slab morphology. The slab can buckle, independent of whether it penetrates or not, especially when there is a localised increase in viscosity at the phase boundary. Flattened slabs are only temporarily arrested in the transition zone and sink ultimately into the lower mantle. The results offer a framework for understanding the variety in slab geometry revealed by seismic tomography.     

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.     

俯冲带的后撤与弧后扩张

西太平洋地壳年龄较老,因而岩石层较冷和比重较大,俯冲带的角度也较大,活动和成熟的弧后盆地则较多;条件与之相反的东太平洋弧后盆地则较少.本文探讨这种相关关系的力学成因,计算了俯冲板块诱生的弧后上涌地幔流动.计算表明,俯冲角度大及存在后撤俯冲时,有利于在弧后地区产生明显的上涌地幔流,这种深部热物质的上涌会导致弧后扩张.反之,年龄较轻的海洋地块较热和较轻,俯冲角度一般也较小,不易诱生上涌地幔物质流动和弧后扩张.大陆地壳密度小于地幔物质,大陆碰撞区就更不具备弧后扩张的条件.     

Signatures of downgoing plate-buoyancy driven subduction in Cenozoic plate motions

The dynamics of plate tectonics are strongly related to those of subduction. To obtain a better understanding of the driving forces of subduction, we compare relations between Cenozoic subduction motions at major trenches with the trends expected for the simplest form of subduction. i.e., free subduction, driven solely by the buoyancy of the downgoing plate. In models with an Earth-like plate stiffness (corresponding to a plate–mantle viscosity contrast of 2–3 orders of magnitude), free plates subduct by a combination of downgoing plate motion and trench retreat, while the slab is draped and folded on top of the upper-lower mantle viscosity transition. In these models, the slabs sink according to their Stokes’ velocities. Observed downgoing-plate motion–plate-age trends are compatible with >80% of the Cenozoic slabs sinking according to their upper-mantle Stokes’ velocity, i.e., subducting-plate motion is largely driven by upper-mantle slab pull. Only in a few cases, do young plates move at velocities that require a higher driving force (possibly supplied by lower-mantle–slab induced flow). About 80% of the Cenozoic trenches retreat, with retreat accounting for about 10% of the total convergence. The few advancing trench sections are likely affected by regional factors. The low trench motions are likely encouraged by low asthenospheric drag (equivalent to that for effective asthenospheric viscosity 2–3 orders below the upper-mantle average), and low lithospheric strength (effective bending viscosity ～2 orders of magnitude above the upper-mantle average). Total Cenozoic trench motions are often very oblique to the direction of downgoing-plate motion (mean angle of 73°). This indicates that other forces than slab buoyancy exert the main control on upper-plate/trench motion. However, the component of trench retreat in the direction of downgoing plate motion (≈ slab pull) correlates with downgoing-plate motion, and this component of retreat generally does not exceed the amount expected for free buoyancy-driven subduction. High present-day slab dips (on average about 70°) are compatible with largely upper-mantle slab-pull driven subduction of relatively weak plates, where motion partitioning and slab geometry adjust to external constraints/forces on trench motion.     

Joint bulk-sound and shear tomography for Western Pacific subduction zones

Detailed regional body wave tomographic inversion of the Western Pacific region has been performed using P and S travel times from common sources and receivers, with a joint inversion in terms of bulk-sound and shear wave-speed variations in the mantle. This technique allows the separation of the influence of bulk and shear moduli, and hence a more direct comparison with mineral physics information. The study region is parameterized with cells of side 0.5° to 2° and 19 layers to a depth of 1500 km, while the rest of the mantle was parameterized with 5×5° cells with 16 layers between the surface and the core–mantle boundary. A simultaneous inversion is made for regional and global structures to minimize the influence of surrounding structures on the regional image. A nested iterative inversion scheme is employed with local linearization and three-dimensional ray tracing through the successive model updates. The results of the regional tomographic inversion reveal the penetration of a subducted slab below the 660 km discontinuity at the Kurile–Kamchatka trench, while flattening of slabs above this depth is observed in the Japan and Izu–Bonin subduction zones on both the bulk-sound and shear wave-speed images. The penetration of a subducted slab down to a depth of at least 1200 km is seen below the southern part of the Bonin trench, Mariana, Philippine, and Java subduction zones. Fast shear wave-speed perturbations associated with the subducted slabs, down to the 410 km transition zone, are larger than the comparable bulk-sound perturbations for all these subduction zones except the Philippines. The bulk-sound signature for the subducted slab is more pronounced than for shear in the Philippines, Talaud, New Guinea, Solomon, and Tonga subduction zones, where penetration of the slab into the middle mantle is observed. Variation in the amplitude ratio between bulk-sound and shear wave-speed anomalies correlates well with the subduction parameters of the descending slab. Slabs younger than 90 Ma at the trench show bulk-sound dominance in the upper mantle, while older slabs have a stronger shear wave-speed signature. Spreading of the fast shear wave-speed zone between 800 and 1000 km is observed in the areas of deep subducted slab penetration, but has no comparable expression in the bulk-sound images. This high-velocity feature may reflect physical or chemical disequilibria introduced to the lower mantle by subducted slabs.     

太平洋板块俯冲对长白山天池火山的影响

长白山天池火山是我国最具潜在喷发危险的活火山之一,属于远离海沟的陆内火山.太平洋板块平卧于长白山天池火山的下方,其俯冲过程对长白山天池火山形成及活动具有重要意义.本文通过二维热力学耦合的数值模型对海洋板块俯冲的动力学过程进行了模拟,分析了海洋板块俯冲对远离海沟的陆内火山的深部温压条件、速度场、岩浆补给量等的影响.依据模拟结果探讨了太平洋板块对长白山天池火山活动影响的可能性及方式.     

对日本俯冲带与IBM俯冲带俯冲特征的地球物理研究:来自重力与震源分布数据的启示

日本俯冲带与IBM俯冲带位于太平洋板块、菲律宾海板块和欧亚板块三者的交汇地带,是典型的"俯冲工厂"地区,具有重要的研究意义.本文利用震源分布资料与卫星重力数据对日本俯冲带与IBM俯冲带进行了研究.通过空间重力异常反映了俯冲带地区的区域构造形态,在此基础上基于艾利模式计算了均衡异常以反映地壳均衡特征.利用震源分布资料,分别从垂直俯冲带走向与沿俯冲带走向划定了横截剖面(cross-sections)进行了地震提取,讨论了俯冲带地区的Wadati-Benioff带形态特征,并借助于俯冲带地震等深线图直观描述了俯冲带的俯冲形态.在日本俯冲带与伊豆—小笠原俯冲带各选取了一条典型剖面进行了重力2.5D反演,研究了俯冲带地区的壳幔结构特征.研究结果表明,九州—帕劳海脊与IBM岛弧在均衡异常上存在差异,前者已逐渐趋向于地壳均衡.IBM的Wadati-Benioff带存在明显的南北差异,反映出伊豆—小笠原俯冲板片停留在了660km转换带中,而马里亚纳俯冲板片很可能垂直穿过了这一转换带,造成这种南北差异的原因与板块相对运动、岩石圈黏性和年龄差异以及俯冲板片的重力效应等因素有关.在IBM的中部和南部存在板片撕裂现象.日本俯冲带的俯冲洋壳密度随俯冲深度变化较小,洋幔存在一定程度的蛇纹岩化,地幔楔蛇纹岩化作用不典型,海沟处有一范围较小的含水畸变带;伊豆—小笠原俯冲带俯冲洋壳密度随深度增大而明显增大,洋幔蛇纹岩化程度较日本俯冲带低,地幔楔蛇纹岩化作用强烈,板块交汇处存在明显的蛇纹岩底辟.日本俯冲带与IBM俯冲带一线自北向南板片俯冲变陡,两侧板块耦合度降低,与俯冲带两侧的板块运动速率差异有关.     

Cenozoic volcanism, stress gradient and back-arc opening in the North Island, New Zealand: Origin of Taupo-Rotorua Depression

Abstract Extensive subduction-related and intraplate volcanism characterize Cenozoic magmatism in the North Is., New Zealand. Volcanics in the central North Is., predominantly intermediate to felsic, form above the dipping seismic zone and show tectonic/geochemical features common to magmatism in most subduction zones. Basaltic volcanism in Northland, the northern part of the North Is., has chemical characteristics typical of intraplate magmatism and may be caused by the upwelling of asthenospheric materials from deeper parts of the mantle. The rifting just behind the present volcanic front (the Taupo-Rotorua Depression), which follows the trench ward migration of the volcanic front and the gradual steepening of the subducted slab, is also a feature of the North Is. A possible mechanism for the back-arc rifting in the area is injection of asthenospheric materials into the mantle wedge; this asthenospheric flow results from the mantle upwelling beneath Northland and pushes both the rigid fore-arc mantle wedge and the subducted slab trenchwards. This mechanism is also consistent with the stress fields in the North Is.: dilatation in Northland, northwest-southeast tension in the Taupo-Rotorua Depression, and the northeast-southwest compression in the fore-arc region.     

西太平洋俯冲带的研究及其动力学意义

讨论了西太平洋俯冲带的分布及特征、西太平洋Ｗａｄａｔｉ－Ｂｅｎｉｏｆｆ带的形态及俯冲带上的应力状态及太平洋板块、菲律宾海板块与欧亚板块之间的相互作用；总结了地震层析成像结果；计算了俯冲板块在地幔中引起的Ｐ波速度异常，提出了俯冲板块与６６０ｋｍ间断面相互作用的４种可能；研究了俯冲板块物理性质的变化、俯冲板块产生的负浮力及其影响因素；提出需要开展俯冲带对东亚大陆构造运动和演化的影响、俯冲带相互关系及演化的研究．     

利用DONET海底观测网研究日本南海海域俯冲带地震波各向异性

基于DONET海底观测网的直达S波地震记录,采用波形旋转互相关方法和最小特征值最小化方法求得了日本南海海域俯冲带横波分裂快轴方向和分裂时间,获得了该俯冲带地震波的各向异性结果。结果显示:该俯冲带地震波的各向异性快轴方向基本平行于南海海槽走向,分裂时间为0.1—0.96 s。这表明:日本南海海域俯冲带各向异性来源于太平洋俯冲板块上覆地幔楔和菲律宾海俯冲板块;地幔楔各向异性产生于二维地幔楔拐角流所导致的各向异性矿物晶体的定向排列;菲律宾海俯冲板块的各向异性则产生于板块扩张时期形成的“化石各向异性”和俯冲过程中板块挠曲产生的断层;日本南海海域俯冲带大范围变化的分裂时间反映了该地区各向异性介质的强度和（或）厚度的不均匀性。      

Effects of plate and slab viscosities on the geoid

The effects of plate rheology (strong plate interiors and weak plate margins) and stiff subducted lithosphere (slabs) on the geoid and plate motions, considered jointly, are examined with three-dimensional spherical models of mantle flow. Buoyancy forces are based on the internal distribution of subducted lithosphere estimated from the last 160 Ma of subduction history. While the ratio of the lower mantle/upper mantle viscosity has a strong effect on the long-wavelength geoid, as has been shown before, we find that plate rheology is also significant and that its inclusion yields a better geoid model while simultaneously reproducing basic features of observed plate motion. Slab viscosity can strongly affect the geoid, depending on whether a slab is coupled to the surface. In particular, deep, high-viscosity slabs beneath the northern Pacific that are disconnected from the surface as a result of subduction history produce significant long-wavelength geoid highs that differ from the observation. This suggests that slabs in the lower mantle may be not as stiff as predicted from a simple thermally activated rheology, if the slab model is accurate.     

东北地区660km间断面附近波速结构研究

我国东北地区位于西北太平洋和达-贝尼奥夫俯冲带前缘,其深部速度结构对理解板块俯冲行为以及地幔物质的交换有重要意义.利用区域三重震相模拟方法,对中国地震观测台网记录到的两个深源地震P波和SH波波形数据,进行了相对到时和波形的拟合,获得了我国东北地区660 km间断面附近波速结构.结果表明,研究区域下方的间断面没有发生明显...     

基于重力数据特征的东北地区深部动力机制解析

中国东北地区处于古亚洲构造域、蒙古—鄂霍茨克构造域和环太平洋构造域叠加作用最为显著的地区,是地学研究的热点区域.为了探析欧亚大陆下西太平洋板片的俯冲形态以及揭示该区域深部地球动力学机制,利用卫星重力数据通过预处理共轭梯度快速密度反演算法获得了包含东北地区、华北部分地区及日本海海域在内的研究区域上地幔三维密度结构,结合天然地震三维层析成像结果共同揭示太平洋板片的俯冲形态和深部动力机制.俯冲的太平洋板片在日本海沟处呈高密度异常,向西横向持续扩张,深度方向上有逐渐增加趋势.不连续的高密度体俯冲至地幔转换带(410～660km)后继续水平西向俯冲,部分滞留板片可能进入下地幔;在大兴安岭断裂带下面转换带中同样发现水平分布的高密度体,推断是大兴安岭断裂带下方地幔岩石圈拆沉的结果,横向不均匀分布的俯冲板片边缘已抵至大兴安岭造山带附近,这对于研究东北地区深部动力学机制具有重要的意义.     

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.     

基于P波三重震相的华南地区上地幔速度结构研究

华南块体是研究太平洋板块俯冲和岩石圈减薄机制等问题的最佳场所之一.本文基于中国地震观测台网和大型流动台阵记录到的震中距10°~30°之间的两个中深源地震P波记录,利用三重震相波形拟合技术,获得了中扬子克拉通和华夏地块上地幔高精度P波速度结构.研究结果表明:(1)中扬子克拉通过渡带底部存在高速异常,系太平洋俯冲板块的滞留体.俯冲的板块并没有进入下地幔,660-km间断面下沉约11 km,与后尖晶石相变的克拉伯龙斜率为负有关.而华夏地块过渡带底部并无明显高速异常,接近全球平均模型;(2)整个华南块体,410-km间断面上方普遍存在低速层,主要与上地幔部分熔融有关,与IASP91相比P波速度减小了1.38%~2.29%;(3)在研究区域内,中扬子克拉通和华夏地块都存在岩石圈减薄(80 km),推测可能与太平洋板块俯冲和快速回撤导致的岩石圈拆沉有关.且华夏地块减薄程度较明显,下伏软流圈速度较低,说明其上地幔强度较弱、温度较高.另外,中扬子克拉通过渡带中存在一个较宽的速度梯度带,可能与520-km间断面有关,其具体成因有待进一步研究.     

Subducted slabs beneath the eastern Indonesia-Tonga region: insights from tomography

Tomographic images of mantle structure beneath the region north and northeast of Australia show a number of anomalously fast regions. These are interpreted using a recent plate tectonic reconstruction in terms of current and former subduction systems. Several strong anomalies are related to current subduction. The inferred slab lengths and positions are consistent with Neogene subduction beneath the New Britain and Halmahera arcs, and at the Tonga and the New Hebrides trenches where there has been rapid rollback of subduction hinges since about 10 Ma. There are several deeper flat-lying anomalies which are not related to present subduction and we interpret them as former subduction zones overridden by Australia since 25 Ma. Beneath the Bird’s Head and Arafura Sea is an anomaly interpreted to be due to north-dipping subduction beneath the Philippines-Halmahera arc between 45 and 25 Ma. A very large anomaly extending from the Papuan peninsula to the New Hebrides, and from the Solomon Islands to the east Australian margin, is interpreted to be the remnant of south-dipping subduction beneath the Melanesian arc between 45 and 25 Ma. This interpretation implies that a flat-lying slab can survive for many tens of millions of years at the bottom of the upper mantle. In the lower mantle there is a huge anomaly beneath the Gulf of Carpentaria and east Papua New Guinea. This is located above the position where the tectonic model interprets a change in polarity of subduction from north-dipping to south-dipping between 45 and 25 Ma. We suggest this deep anomaly may be a slab subducted beneath eastern Australian during the Cretaceous, or subducted north of Australia during the Cenozoic before 45 Ma. The tomography also supports the tectonic interpretation which suggests little Neogene subduction beneath western New Guinea since no slab is imaged south of the New Guinea trench. However, one subduction zone in the tectonic model and many others, that associated with the Trobriand trough east of Papua New Guinea and the Miocene Maramuni arc, is not seen in the tomographic images and may require reconsideration of currently accepted tectonic interpretations.     

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.     

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.