Continental breakup style of Marginal Seas

Autor: Geoffroy Mohn, Jean-Claude Ringenbach, Michael Nirrengarten, Julie Tugend, Anders McCarthy, Chao Lei
Rok vydání: 2022
DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-8715
Popis: Marginal Seas are extensional basins formed in a convergent setting near active subduction zones. They are characterized by a short life (In this contribution, we characterize the tectono-magmatic processes acting during continental breakup by investigating the COT structures of three main Marginal Seas located in the Western Pacific, namely the South China Sea, the Coral Sea and the Woodlark Basin. All three examples formed under rapid extension rates and propagation of seafloor spreading. Although each marginal basin has its uniqueness, we show that these three marginal basins are characterized by a narrow COT (typically The rapid localization of extensional deformation in a narrow area has major implications for partial melting generation. The evolution of extensional structures is controlled by the interplay of lithospheric thinning, asthenosphere upwelling and decompression melting. High extension rate prevents conductive cooling and lead to focus volcanic activity in a narrow area evolving rapidly in space and time to magmatic accretion. Causes for the fast extensions rates of Marginal Sea rifting are likely controlled by kinematic boundary conditions directly or indirectly controlled by nearby subduction zones. Such mode of breakup is probably not limited to marginal Seas but only enhanced in such settings.
Databáze: OpenAIRE