A switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension in the Vrancea slab explained by the volume reduction of serpentine dehydration
Abstract The Vrancea slab, Romania, is a subducted remnant of the Tethyan lithosphere characterized by a significant intermediate-depth seismicity (60–170 km). A recent study showed a correlation between this seismicity and major dehydration reactions, involving serpentine minerals up to 130 km dept...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26260-5 |
| _version_ | 1797977511659831296 |
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| author | Andreea Craiu Thomas P. Ferrand Elena F. Manea Johannes C. Vrijmoed Alexandru Mărmureanu |
| author_facet | Andreea Craiu Thomas P. Ferrand Elena F. Manea Johannes C. Vrijmoed Alexandru Mărmureanu |
| author_sort | Andreea Craiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Vrancea slab, Romania, is a subducted remnant of the Tethyan lithosphere characterized by a significant intermediate-depth seismicity (60–170 km). A recent study showed a correlation between this seismicity and major dehydration reactions, involving serpentine minerals up to 130 km depth, and high-pressure hydrated talc deeper. Here we investigate the potential link between the triggering mechanisms and the retrieved focal mechanisms of 940 earthquakes, which allows interpreting the depth distribution of the stress field. We observe a switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension between 100 and 130 km depth, where the Clapeyron slope of serpentine dehydration is negative. The negative volume change within dehydrating serpentinized faults, expected mostly sub-horizontal in the verticalized slab, could well explain the vertical extension recorded by the intermediate-depth seismicity. This apparent slab pull is accompanied with a rotation of the main compressive stress, which could favour slab detachments in active subduction zones. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:08:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb8ecfe2d6e343968daf241faf0280c6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:08:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb8ecfe2d6e343968daf241faf0280c62022-12-25T12:13:23ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-12-0112111310.1038/s41598-022-26260-5A switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension in the Vrancea slab explained by the volume reduction of serpentine dehydrationAndreea Craiu0Thomas P. Ferrand1Elena F. Manea2Johannes C. Vrijmoed3Alexandru Mărmureanu4National Institute for Earth PhysicsInstitut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität BerlinNational Institute for Earth PhysicsInstitut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität BerlinNational Institute for Earth PhysicsAbstract The Vrancea slab, Romania, is a subducted remnant of the Tethyan lithosphere characterized by a significant intermediate-depth seismicity (60–170 km). A recent study showed a correlation between this seismicity and major dehydration reactions, involving serpentine minerals up to 130 km depth, and high-pressure hydrated talc deeper. Here we investigate the potential link between the triggering mechanisms and the retrieved focal mechanisms of 940 earthquakes, which allows interpreting the depth distribution of the stress field. We observe a switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension between 100 and 130 km depth, where the Clapeyron slope of serpentine dehydration is negative. The negative volume change within dehydrating serpentinized faults, expected mostly sub-horizontal in the verticalized slab, could well explain the vertical extension recorded by the intermediate-depth seismicity. This apparent slab pull is accompanied with a rotation of the main compressive stress, which could favour slab detachments in active subduction zones.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26260-5 |
| spellingShingle | Andreea Craiu Thomas P. Ferrand Elena F. Manea Johannes C. Vrijmoed Alexandru Mărmureanu A switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension in the Vrancea slab explained by the volume reduction of serpentine dehydration Scientific Reports |
| title | A switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension in the Vrancea slab explained by the volume reduction of serpentine dehydration |
| title_full | A switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension in the Vrancea slab explained by the volume reduction of serpentine dehydration |
| title_fullStr | A switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension in the Vrancea slab explained by the volume reduction of serpentine dehydration |
| title_full_unstemmed | A switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension in the Vrancea slab explained by the volume reduction of serpentine dehydration |
| title_short | A switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension in the Vrancea slab explained by the volume reduction of serpentine dehydration |
| title_sort | switch from horizontal compression to vertical extension in the vrancea slab explained by the volume reduction of serpentine dehydration |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26260-5 |
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