Climate-induced rebound and exhumation of the European Alps

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 2004 Climate-induced rebound and exhumation of the European Alps Charlotte E. Cederbom; Charlotte E. Cederbom 1CRUST Consortium, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Hugh D. Sinclair; Hugh D. Sinclair 1CRUST Consortium, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Fritz Schlunegger; Fritz Schlunegger 2Geological Institute, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 1, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Meinert K. Rahn Meinert K. Rahn 3Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate, 5232 Villigen-HSK, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Charlotte E. Cederbom 1CRUST Consortium, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK Hugh D. Sinclair 1CRUST Consortium, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK Fritz Schlunegger 2Geological Institute, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 1, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland Meinert K. Rahn 3Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate, 5232 Villigen-HSK, Switzerland Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 23 Jan 2004 Revision Received: 16 Apr 2004 Accepted: 19 Apr 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2004) 32 (8): 709–712. https://doi.org/10.1130/G20491.1 Article history Received: 23 Jan 2004 Revision Received: 16 Apr 2004 Accepted: 19 Apr 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Charlotte E. Cederbom, Hugh D. Sinclair, Fritz Schlunegger, Meinert K. Rahn; Climate-induced rebound and exhumation of the European Alps. Geology 2004;; 32 (8): 709–712. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G20491.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Foreland basins record the regional isostatic compensation of mountain belts; during periods of crustal thickening, they subside, and when erosion unloads the mass of the mountains, the basins rebound and are eroded. In order to evaluate this mechanism for rebound, it is critical that the timing and magnitude of erosion are documented. We present data estimating the timing and magnitude of late orogenic or postorogenic erosion in the North Alpine Foreland Basin of Switzerland. Mineral cooling ages demonstrate that the basin underwent 1–3 km of erosion soon after 5 Ma. This erosion coincided with a decline in structural deformation in the Swiss Alps, and a doubling of sediment accumulation rates in surrounding depocenters. We propose that accelerated erosional unroofing of the Swiss Alps triggered isostatic rebound and erosion of the foreland basin after 5 Ma. A projection of the isostatic rebound of the basin into the mountains suggests that at least 6.5 km of erosion should have occurred in the high topography of the Aar Massif. Accelerated erosion in the Swiss Alps at that time is explained by an increase in atmospheric moisture driven by an intensification of the Atlantic Gulf Stream at 4.6 Ma. Consequently, we propose that the changing erosional capacity of the climate triggered late orogenic to postorogenic mass reduction and isostatic rebound of the Swiss Alps and their neighboring foreland basin. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.