Geophysical constraints on the deep structure of a limited ocean‐continent subduction zone at the North Iberian Margin

Abstract

Late Cretaceous to Cenozoic convergence between Iberia and Europe led to the partial closure of the Bay of Biscay with limited southward subduction of oceanic crust below the North Iberian Margin. Inclined sub‐Moho reflections and diffractions observed in deep seismic reflection profiles shot across the margin are especially well represented in two reflection profiles: ESCIN‐3.2 and ESCIN‐3.3. These two profiles have been chosen to test if the sub‐Moho reflections correspond to true primary deep events and, provided that they are reflecting off the subduction zone, to investigate its deep structure. Spectral analysis together with travel time estimation and migration allow us to characterize a number of these sub‐Moho events as deep‐source, low‐frequency (∼19 Hz), reflections and diffractions. Synthetic seismograms were generated by three‐dimensional seismic modeling of a sub‐Moho southward dipping surface, interpreted to correspond to the top of subducted oceanic crust. Comparison between the real and synthetic data show that inclined, low‐frequency sub‐Moho reflections in both, ESCIN‐3.2 and ESCIN‐3.3 profiles may correspond to reflections from southward subducted Bay of Biscay oceanic crust. Geoid, free‐air gravity, and absolute topography modeling provides additional constraints on the lithospheric‐scale structure of this limited ocean‐continent subduction zone beneath the North Iberian Margin.