Location and segmentation of the Cocos-Nazca spreading centre west of 95° W     

R. C. Searle 《Marine Geophysical Researches》1989,11(1):15-26

This paper describes GLORIA sidescan sonar data from a single swath along the Cocos-Nazca Spreading Centre between the 95.5° W propagating rift and the Pacific-Cocos-Nazca triple junction. Almost the whole of the plate boundary was imaged. Five medium sized offsets of the spreading centre, ranging from 10 to 25 km, were seen. Of these, at least one (at 99° W) is a previously unknown propagating rift, propagating westwards away from the Galapagos hotspot at about 40 mm a^-1. Two other offsets have some, but not all, of the characteristics of propagating rifts, and may be poorly developed (possibly duelling) propagating rifts or migrating overlapping spreading centres. In each case the apparent propagation rate is between one and two times the half spreading rate. The average length of ridge segments in this region is 70 km, but lengths range from 12 to 135 km. The longest segments are those immediately behind actively propagating ridge offsets. The overall plan shape of the ridge axis is roughly sinusoidal, with a wavelength of 400–500 km and an amplitude of ±20 km. This nonlinear shape has arisen since the spreading centre was created, and may reflect an instability in the mantle plumes that control ridge segmentation.  相似文献   

Quantifying the P–T–t conditions of north–south Lhasa terrane accretion: new insight into the pre‐Himalayan architecture of the Tibetan plateau          下载免费PDF全文

O. M. Weller  M. R. St‐Onge  M. P. Searle  D. J. Waters  N. Rayner  S. Chen  S.‐L. Chung  R. M. Palin 《Journal of Metamorphic Geology》2015,33(1):91-113

An integrated field, petrological and geochronological study of the Basong Tso region of south‐eastern Tibet has constrained the timing and P–T conditions of north–south Lhasa terrane accretion and provides new insight into the tectonothermal evolution of the Tibetan plateau. Two distinct high‐grade metamorphic belts are recognized in the region: a southern belt (the Basong Tso complex) that consists of sheared schist and orthogneiss; and a northern belt (the Zhala complex) that comprises paragneiss and granite. Combined pseudosection modelling and U–Pb geochronology of monazite and zircon indicates that the Basong Tso complex records peak metamorphic conditions of 9 ± 0.5 kbar and 690 ± 25 °C at c. 204–201 Ma, whereas the Zhala complex experienced peak metamorphic conditions of 5.0 ± 1.0 kbar and 740 ± 40 °C at c. 198–192 Ma. Microstructural analysis suggests that the two belts share a common early prograde history, after which the Basong Tso complex attained peak conditions following rapid burial, and the Zhala complex approached peak conditions along an isobaric path. Overall it is inferred that the Basong Tso and Zhala complexes represent the lower and upper structural levels of an evolving orogen that underwent Barrovian‐type metamorphism following collision (M1), followed by Buchan‐style overprinting at higher structural levels due to heat advection by syn‐tectonic granites (M2). Mylonitization (sensu lato) of the Basong Tso complex and juxtaposition of the two units occurred after attainment of peak conditions. The dominance of Mesozoic regional metamorphism across most of the Tibetan plateau indicates that Cenozoic crustal thickening processes, where present, are only manifested at depth.  相似文献   

Compressional deformation north of the Easter microplate: a manned submersible and seafloor gravity investigation     

R. C. Searle  J. Francheteau  R. Armijo 《Geophysical Journal International》2006,164(2):359-369

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The Reykjanes Ridge: structure and tectonics of a hot-spot-influenced, slow-spreading ridge, from multibeam bathymetry, gravity and magnetic investigations     

R.C Searle  J.A Keeton  R.B Owens  R.S White  R Mecklenburgh  B Parsons  S.M Lee   《Earth and Planetary Science Letters》1998,160(3-4):463-478

We report a comprehensive morphological, gravity and magnetic survey of the oblique- and slow-spreading Reykjanes Ridge near the Iceland mantle plume. The survey extends from 57.9°N to 62.1°N and from the spreading axis to between 30 km (3 Ma) and 100 km (10 Ma) off-axis; it includes 100 km of one arm of a diachronous ‘V-shaped' or ‘chevron' ridge. Observed isochrons are extremely linear and 28° oblique to the spreading normal with no significant offsets. Along-axis there are ubiquitous, en-echelon axial volcanic ridges (AVRs), sub-normal to the spreading direction, with average spacing of 14 km and overlap of about one third of their lengths. Relict AVRs occur off-axis, but are most obvious where there has been least axial faulting, suggesting that elsewhere they are rapidly eroded tectonically. AVRs maintain similar plan views but have reduced heights nearer Iceland. They are flanked by normal faults sub-parallel to the ridge axis, the innermost of which occur slightly closer to the axis towards Iceland, suggesting a gradual reduction of the effective lithospheric thickness there. Generally, the amplitude of faulting decreases towards Iceland. We interpret this pattern of AVRs and faults as the response of the lithosphere to oblique spreading, as suggested by theory and physical modelling. An axial, 10–15 km wide zone of high acoustic backscatter marks the most recent volcanic activity. The zone's width is independent of the presence of a median valley, so axial volcanism is not primarily delimited by median valley walls, but is probably controlled by the lateral distance that the oblique AVRs can propagate into off-axis lithosphere. The mantle Bouguer anomaly (MBA) exhibits little mid- to short-wavelength variation above a few milliGals, and along-axis variations are small compared with other parts of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Nevertheless, there are small axial deeps and MBA highs spaced some 130 km along-axis that may represent subdued third-order segment boundaries. They lack coherent off-axis traces and cannot be linked to Oligocene fracture zones on the ridge flanks. The surveyed chevron ridge is morphologically discontinuous, comprising several parallel bands of closely spaced, elevated blocks. These reflect the surrounding tectonic fabric but have higher fault scarps. There is no evidence for off-axis volcanism or greater abundance of seamounts on the chevron. Free-air gravity over it is greater than expected from the observed bathymetry, suggesting compensation via regional rather than pointwise isostasy. Most of the observed variation along the ridge can be ascribed to varying distance from the mantle plume, reflecting changes in mantle temperature and consequently in crustal thickness and lithospheric strength. However, a second-order variation is superimposed. In particular, between 59°30′N and 61°30′N there is a minimum of large-scale faulting and crustal magnetisation, maximum density of seamounts, and maximum axial free-air gravity high. To the north the scale of faulting increases slightly, seamounts are less common, and there is a relative axial free-air low. We interpret the 59°30′N to 61°30′N region as where the latest chevron ridge intersects the Reykjanes Ridge axis, and suggest that the morphological changes that culminate there reflect a local temperature high associated with a transient pulse of high plume output at its apex.  相似文献   

Pito and Orongo fracture zones: the northern and southern boundaries of the Easter microplate (southeast Pacific)     

Rapanui Scientific Party  J. Francheteau  P. Patriat  J. Segoufin  R. Armijo  M. Doucoure  A. Yelles-Chaouche  J. Zukin  S. Calmant  D.F. Naar  R.C. Searle 《Earth and Planetary Science Letters》1988,89(3-4)

The Easter (Rapanui) microplate is a case example of a large dual spreading center system in a region where the fastest seafloor spreading on Earth is occurring today. Recent theoretical models of the tectonic evolution of dual spreading center systems have explored the effects of shear and rigid rotation on the boundaries and internal structure of microplates but the models must be critically constrained by improved relative motion and structural fabric data sets.During the January 1987 Rapanui expedition on the N/O “Jean Charcot” we conducted a Sea Beam/magnetics/ gravity survey of a portion of the microplate boundaries. The method that was used was to fully map selected portions of the boundaries in order to establish precise structural relationships. The northern terminus of the East Rift or eastern boundary of the microplate is expressed as a series of parallel NW-SE trending valleys including what appears to be, with 5890 m depth, the deepest active rift axis mapped in the Pacific today (Pito Rift).The northern end of the Pito Rift merges with an E-W to 083° narrow band of linear faults interpreted to be a transform fault between the Nazca and Easter (Rapanui) plates.The northern triple junction between the Easter (Rapanui), Nazca and Pacific plates is a RFF type with the two transform faults colinear along an approximately E-W direction.The southwestern boundary of the Easter (Rapanui) microplate is marked by a series of en-echelon offsets, outlined by depressions, which merge into an approximately E-W zone where shear must be predominant.The southern triple junction is a RRF junction with an overlapping ridge system.The structural data acquired during the survey provide strong constraints for kinematic models of the microplate. The structural data need to be combined with crustal age determinations in order to derive a model for the evolution of the microplate.  相似文献   

并置VLBI站的相对形变及其与全球解结果的比较     

杨志根  M.Berube  A.Searle 《天文学报》2005,46(1):70-75

基于ITRF2000地球参考架的三维VLBI站速度矢量和NNR-NUVEL-1A地球板块运动模型，采用观测的VLBI基线长变化率作为约束，估计和讨论了全球6个并置VLBI站的局部或区域性地壳的相对形变，并与国际地球参考架ITRFs解和VLBI全球解glb2003以及VTRF2003的结果进行了比较．结果表明日本Kashima与Kashim34VLBI站之间，美国GREENBANK的NRAO20与NRAO85-3站之间可能存在每年约近4毫米的相对垂直形变；WESTFORD与HAYSTACK二站间每年近2毫米的垂直形变率差基本可得到肯定，KOKEE和KAUAI二站的垂直形变率约有每年1至3毫米的差．利用如下方法能较可靠地检测出并置VLBI站间的局部或区域性的地壳垂直形变，改进ITRF解的可能不足．  相似文献   

Dating the geologic history of Oman’s Semail ophiolite: insights from U-Pb geochronology     

Clare?J.?WarrenEmail author  Randall?R.?Parrish  David?J.?Waters  Michael?P.?Searle 《Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology》2005,150(4):403-422

Eclogites from the deepest structural levels beneath the Semail ophiolite, Oman, record the subduction and later exhumation of the Arabian continental margin. Published ages for this high pressure event reveal large discrepancies between the crystallisation ages of certain eclogite-facies minerals and apparent cooling ages of micas. We present precise U-Pb zircon (78.95 ± 0.13 Ma) and rutile (79.6 ± 1.1 Ma) ages for the eclogites, as well as new U-Pb zircon ages for trondhjemites from the Semail ophiolite (95.3 ± 0.2 Ma) and amphibolites from the metamorphic sole (94.48 ± 0.23 Ma). The new eclogite ages reinforce published U-Pb zircon and Rb-Sr mineral-whole rock isochron ages, yet are inconsistent with published interpretations of older ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar phengite and Sm-Nd garnet dates. We show that the available U-Pb and Rb-Sr ages, which are in tight agreement, fit better with the available geological evidence, and suggest that peak metamorphism of the continental margin occurred during the later stages of ophiolite emplacement.  相似文献   

Fault scarp statistics at the Galapagos spreading centre from Deep Tow data     

Mitchell  Neil C.  Searle  Roger C. 《Marine Geophysical Researches》1998,20(3):183-193

Much of the relief of the abyssal hills covering the ocean basins is believed to originate from faulting of oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges. The timescale over which faults grow is controversial, however, with some authors arguing that faults continue to grow in places for 0.5 m.y. or more based on increasing relief of fault scarps with distance from ridge axes. We examine Deep Tow profiler records of the Galapagos Spreading Centre, in which basement reflections allow scarp relief to be measured beneath the sediment cover, and find that relief does not increase but decreases systematically to 40 km off-axis (1.5 Ma seafloor). Since reversal of fault offsets is unlikely in this tectonic setting, we interpret this result as indicating that variations in fault statistics could reflect temporal variations in the tectonic or volcanic state of the ridge crest, not necessarily progressive fault growth with age as previously assumed. Resolving the issue of fault longevity will therefore require independent data on the timing of fault growth and distribution of present growth activity. We suggest some possible alternative indicators of fault longevity and discuss more generally the implications of volcanic flows to studies of faulting at ridges.  相似文献   

A Catalogue of Gravity Data from Kenya     

R. C. Searle 《Geophysical Journal International》1975,43(3):1027-1028

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Evidence from Gravity Anomalies for Thinning of the Lithosphere beneath the Rift Valley in Kenya   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

R. C. Searle 《Geophysical Journal International》1970,21(1):13-31

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