Successive detachment faults and mantle unroofing at magma-poor rifted margins

Abstract

Research Article| November 01, 2011 Successive detachment faults and mantle unroofing at magma-poor rifted margins Tim J. Reston; Tim J. Reston School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ken G. McDermott Ken G. McDermott School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2011) 39 (11): 1071–1074. https://doi.org/10.1130/G32428.1 Article history received: 06 May 2011 rev-recd: 21 Jun 2011 accepted: 22 Jun 2011 first online: 09 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 Tim J. Reston, Ken G. McDermott; Successive detachment faults and mantle unroofing at magma-poor rifted margins. Geology 2011;; 39 (11): 1071–1074. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G32428.1 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 Seismic depth images show that magma-poor rifted margins between Iberia and Newfoundland are characterized by two different types of detachment that led to the unroofing of a broad expanse of mantle. Low-angle detachments develop in serpentinites at the base of pre-thinned crust and control further crustal thinning. These detachments are cut by large-offset faults, rooting at a steep angle, but with an exhumed slip surface and footwall flexurally rotated to a low angle during unroofing. Successive generations of this second type of detachment lead to the roughly symmetric unroofing of a broad expanse of mantle as new detachments repeatedly cut through the footwall of the preceding detachment, leaving the abandoned root zone as landward-dipping reflectors within exhumed mantle on both sides of the developing rift. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.