The Gibraltar slab dynamics and its influence on past and present-day Alboran domain deformation: Insights from thermo-mechanical numerical modelling
The origin and tectonic evolution of the Gibraltar Arc system is the result of a complex geodynamic evolution involving the convergence of the Eurasian and African plates and the dynamic impact of the Gibraltar slab. Although geologic and geophysical data collected in the last few years have increas...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.995041/full |
| _version_ | 1811167123216531456 |
|---|---|
| author | Pedro J. Gea Pedro J. Gea Ana M. Negredo Ana M. Negredo Flor de Lis Mancilla Flor de Lis Mancilla |
| author_facet | Pedro J. Gea Pedro J. Gea Ana M. Negredo Ana M. Negredo Flor de Lis Mancilla Flor de Lis Mancilla |
| author_sort | Pedro J. Gea |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The origin and tectonic evolution of the Gibraltar Arc system is the result of a complex geodynamic evolution involving the convergence of the Eurasian and African plates and the dynamic impact of the Gibraltar slab. Although geologic and geophysical data collected in the last few years have increased our knowledge of the Gibraltar Arc region, it is still unclear which are the mechanical links between the Gibraltar slab and the past deformation of the overriding Alboran lithosphere, as well as to which degree this subduction system is presently active. In this study, we use 2D numerical modelling to investigate the impact of the Gibraltar slab dynamics on the deformation of the overriding Alboran lithosphere. Our model simulates a WE generic vertical section at an approximate latitude of 36°N and considers an initial setup at about Burdigalian times (∼20 Ma), when the subduction front position is relatively well constrained by recent tectonic reconstructions. Our modelling shows a switch in the overriding plate (OP) stress state from extensional stresses during the slab rollback to compressional stresses near the trench when the rollback velocity decreases, caused by the change in slab-induced mantle flow. We also find that much of the crustal and lithospheric deformation occur during fast slab rollback and OP extension in the first 10 Myr of evolution, while after that only moderate deformation associated with subduction is predicted. Finally, we find that despite the subduction rollback ceases, the ongoing motion of the deeper portion of the slab induces a mantle flow that causes some amount of west-directed basal drag of the Alboran lithosphere. This basal drag generates interplate compresional stresses compatible with the distribution of intermediate-depth earthquakes in western Alboran. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T16:04:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8336c7ab2ca644d1851e256a128cbf97 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T16:04:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-8336c7ab2ca644d1851e256a128cbf972023-02-10T06:41:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632023-02-011110.3389/feart.2023.995041995041The Gibraltar slab dynamics and its influence on past and present-day Alboran domain deformation: Insights from thermo-mechanical numerical modellingPedro J. Gea0Pedro J. Gea1Ana M. Negredo2Ana M. Negredo3Flor de Lis Mancilla4Flor de Lis Mancilla5Instituto Andaluz de Geofísica, Universidad de Granada, Granada, SpainDepartamento de Física Teórica y del Cosmos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, SpainDepartamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Facultad de CC. Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, SpainInstituto de Geociencias IGEO (CSIC, UCM), Madrid, SpainInstituto Andaluz de Geofísica, Universidad de Granada, Granada, SpainDepartamento de Física Teórica y del Cosmos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, SpainThe origin and tectonic evolution of the Gibraltar Arc system is the result of a complex geodynamic evolution involving the convergence of the Eurasian and African plates and the dynamic impact of the Gibraltar slab. Although geologic and geophysical data collected in the last few years have increased our knowledge of the Gibraltar Arc region, it is still unclear which are the mechanical links between the Gibraltar slab and the past deformation of the overriding Alboran lithosphere, as well as to which degree this subduction system is presently active. In this study, we use 2D numerical modelling to investigate the impact of the Gibraltar slab dynamics on the deformation of the overriding Alboran lithosphere. Our model simulates a WE generic vertical section at an approximate latitude of 36°N and considers an initial setup at about Burdigalian times (∼20 Ma), when the subduction front position is relatively well constrained by recent tectonic reconstructions. Our modelling shows a switch in the overriding plate (OP) stress state from extensional stresses during the slab rollback to compressional stresses near the trench when the rollback velocity decreases, caused by the change in slab-induced mantle flow. We also find that much of the crustal and lithospheric deformation occur during fast slab rollback and OP extension in the first 10 Myr of evolution, while after that only moderate deformation associated with subduction is predicted. Finally, we find that despite the subduction rollback ceases, the ongoing motion of the deeper portion of the slab induces a mantle flow that causes some amount of west-directed basal drag of the Alboran lithosphere. This basal drag generates interplate compresional stresses compatible with the distribution of intermediate-depth earthquakes in western Alboran.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.995041/fullAlboran domainGibraltar slablithospheric structureoverriding plate deformationslab rollbackwestern mediterranean |
| spellingShingle | Pedro J. Gea Pedro J. Gea Ana M. Negredo Ana M. Negredo Flor de Lis Mancilla Flor de Lis Mancilla The Gibraltar slab dynamics and its influence on past and present-day Alboran domain deformation: Insights from thermo-mechanical numerical modelling Frontiers in Earth Science Alboran domain Gibraltar slab lithospheric structure overriding plate deformation slab rollback western mediterranean |
| title | The Gibraltar slab dynamics and its influence on past and present-day Alboran domain deformation: Insights from thermo-mechanical numerical modelling |
| title_full | The Gibraltar slab dynamics and its influence on past and present-day Alboran domain deformation: Insights from thermo-mechanical numerical modelling |
| title_fullStr | The Gibraltar slab dynamics and its influence on past and present-day Alboran domain deformation: Insights from thermo-mechanical numerical modelling |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Gibraltar slab dynamics and its influence on past and present-day Alboran domain deformation: Insights from thermo-mechanical numerical modelling |
| title_short | The Gibraltar slab dynamics and its influence on past and present-day Alboran domain deformation: Insights from thermo-mechanical numerical modelling |
| title_sort | gibraltar slab dynamics and its influence on past and present day alboran domain deformation insights from thermo mechanical numerical modelling |
| topic | Alboran domain Gibraltar slab lithospheric structure overriding plate deformation slab rollback western mediterranean |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.995041/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pedrojgea thegibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT pedrojgea thegibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT anamnegredo thegibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT anamnegredo thegibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT flordelismancilla thegibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT flordelismancilla thegibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT pedrojgea gibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT pedrojgea gibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT anamnegredo gibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT anamnegredo gibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT flordelismancilla gibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling AT flordelismancilla gibraltarslabdynamicsanditsinfluenceonpastandpresentdayalborandomaindeformationinsightsfromthermomechanicalnumericalmodelling |