Pangaea's breakup: the roles of mantle plumes, orogens and subduction retreat

Author:

Dang Zhuo1,Zhang Nan12ORCID,Li Zheng-Xiang2,Yan Peilong1

Affiliation:

1. Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

2. Earth Dynamics Research Group, The Institute for Geoscience Research (TIGeR), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, WA 6845, Perth, Australia

Abstract

Abstract What drives the breakup of a supercontinent remains contentious. Previously proposed mechanisms include mantle plumes, subduction retreat and basal traction from mantle convection. Here we review the geological record of plumes, orogens and subduction zones during the breakup of Pangaea and investigate the potential roles played by these factors through 4D spherical geodynamic modelling. We found that mantle plumes provided the dominant force that drove the breakup of Pangaea, particularly in triggering the initial breakup. Young orogens as continental lithospheric weak zones generally guided the development of continental rifts, consistent with the geological record that rifting within Pangaea commonly developed along pre-existing orogens. However, the marginal drag force produced by subduction retreat, and basal traction associated with subduction-related mantle flow, likely also played a role in the breakup of Pangaea. In addition, the weakening effect of plume-induced melts can sometimes help to break the continental lithosphere away from orogens, as exemplified by the breakup between Antarctica and Australia. Furthermore, geodynamic modelling suggests that subduction is responsible for generating mantle plumes. A particular such example is the formation of the Kerguelen plume, triggered by subduction along the northern margin of Australia, which facilitated the breakup between East Antarctica and Australia.

Funder

National Science foundation of China

Publisher

Geological Society of London

Subject

Geology,Ocean Engineering,Water Science and Technology

Cited by 1 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3