Continental Roots Research Articles

The thinning of subcontinental lithosphere: The roles of plume impact and metasomatic weakening

AbstractGeologically rapid (tens of Myr) partial removal of thick continental lithosphere is evident beneath Precambrian terranes, such as North China Craton, southern Africa, and the North Atlantic Craton, and has been linked with thermomechanical erosion by mantle plumes. We performed numerical experiments with realistic viscosities to test this hypothesis and constrain the most important parameters that influence cratonic lithosphere erosion. Our models indicate that the thermomechanical erosion by a plume impact on typical Archean lithospheric mantle is unlikely to be more effective than long‐term erosion from normal plate‐mantle interaction. Therefore, unmodified cratonic roots that have been stable for billions of years will not be significantly disrupted by the erosion of a plume event. However, the buoyancy and strength of highly depleted continental roots can be modified by fluid‐melt metasomatism, and our models show that this is essential for the thinning of originally stable continental roots. The long‐term but punctuated history of metasomatic enrichment beneath ancient continents makes this mode of weakening very likely. The effect of the plume impact is to speed up the erosion significantly and help the removal of the lithospheric root to occur within tens of Myr if affected by metasomatic weakening.

Azimuthal anisotropy beneath north central Africa from shear wave splitting analyses

AbstractThis study represents the first multistation investigation of azimuthal anisotropy beneath the interior of north central Africa, including Libya and adjacent regions, using shear wave splitting (SWS) analysis. Data used in the study include recently available broadband seismic data obtained from 15 stations managed by the Libyan Center for Remote Sensing and Space Science, and those from five other stations at which data are publicly accessible. A total of 583 pairs of high‐quality SWS measurements utilizing the PKS, SKKS, and SKS phases demonstrate primarily N‐S fast orientations with an average splitting delay time of approximately 1.2 s. An absence of periodic azimuthal variation of the observed splitting parameters indicates the presence of simple anisotropy, and lack of correlation between surficial features and the splitting parameters suggests that the origin of the observed anisotropy is primarily asthenospheric. This conclusion is enhanced by nonperiodic azimuthal variation of the splitting parameters observed at one of the stations located near the boundary of areas with different anisotropic properties. We interpret the observed anisotropy to be the consequence of northward movement of the African plate relative to the asthenosphere toward the Hellenic and Calabrian subduction zones. Local variance in fast orientations may be attributable to flow deflection by the northern edge of the African continental root. The observations provide critical and previously lacking constraints on mantle dynamic models in the vicinity of the convergent boundary between the African and Eurasian plates.

Fluid and deformation induced metamorphic processes around Moho beneath continent collision zones: Examples from the exposed root zone of the Caledonian mountain belt, W-Norway

Abstract Exposed High Pressure (HP) and Ultra High Pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrains have been studied in order to assess the metamorphic processes and their role in changing petrophysical properties near Moho depth in continental root zones. The investigation points to a critical role of fluid and deformation in metamorphic transformation in the deep crust and upper mantle. This applies to a) formation of granulite facies areas, b) transformation of granulites to eclogites, c) retrogression of eclogite facies rocks to amphibolite and green schist facies rocks and d) the spinel lherzolite to garnet lherzolite transition. Dry rocks both feldspar bearing and ultramafic remain with their Pre-HP and UHP structures and anhydrous mineralogy preserved while reactions occur where fluid has been introduced along deformation zones. A mixture of metamorphic facies formed at widely variable times on metre to km scale will be present throughout the crust and upper mantle. Pseudotachylytes (frictional melts or ultracomminuted material) are observed in both ultramafic and feldspar bearing lithologies spatially associated with HP and UHP rocks suggesting that rock properties at Moho depth allow earthquakes. Seismicity enhances the metamorphic and metasomatic transitions through fragmentation and by opening the rock for fluid influx. Ductile eclogite facies shear zones nucleate along the brittle structures. These observations point to Moho as a rock processing zone with the following facets: 1. A metastable dry and strong lower crust and upper mantle. 2. Earthquakes and tremors result in fluid flow and HP metamorphism. 3. A pronounced weakening of the hydrated and transformed rocks allows flow of material and the development of new fabrics (LPO) in the transformed rocks. Deep tremor and earthquakes at Moho depth may record ongoing metamorphic transitions.

A global shear velocity model of the upper mantle from fundamental and higher Rayleigh mode measurements

We present DR2012, a global SV‐wave tomographic model of the upper mantle. We use an extension of the automated waveform inversion approach of Debayle (1999) which improves our mapping of the transition zone with extraction of fundamental and higher‐mode information. The new approach is fully automated and has been successfully used to match approximately 375,000 Rayleigh waveforms. For each seismogram, we obtain a path average shear velocity and quality factor model, and a set of fundamental and higher‐mode dispersion and attenuation curves. We incorporate the resulting set of path average shear velocity models into a tomographic inversion. In the uppermost 200 km of the mantle, SV wave heterogeneities correlate with surface tectonics. The high velocity signature of cratons is slightly shallower (≈200 km) than in other seismic models. Thicker continental roots are not required by our data, but can be produced by imposinga priori a smoother model in the vertical direction. Regions deeper than 200 km show no velocity contrasts larger than ±1% at large scale, except for high velocity slabs within the transition zone. Comparisons with other seismic models show that current surface wave datasets allow to build consistent models up to degrees 40 in the upper 200 km of the mantle. The agreement is poorer in the transition zone and confined to low harmonic degrees (≤10).

The importance of slab pull and a global asthenosphere to plate motions

Earth's subducting plates move 3–4 times faster than its overriding plates, but it remains unclear whether these contrasting plate speeds are caused by additional pull from subducting slabs or by increased viscous drag on the lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary beneath deeply‐protruding continental roots. To investigate the relative importance of plausible controls, we predicted global patterns of plate motions using numerical models that incorporate the influence of subducting slabs, convective mantle flow, and continental roots. From the mantle convection models, we computed a set of dynamically consistent plate velocities by balancing forces that drive and resist the motion of each plate. When deep continental roots anchor to the sub‐asthenospheric upper mantle, the calculated patterns of plate motions are close to the observations if only ∼20% of (excess) upper mantle slab weight contributes to the slab pull force. However, this small contribution causes plates to move too slowly on average unless mantle viscosity is a factor of ∼2 lower than expected from post‐glacial rebound. In contrast, we show that predicted and observed plate motions are more easily reconciled if even the deepest continental roots are underlain by a low‐viscosity layer and at least half of (excess) upper mantle slab weight contributes to the slab pull force. This preferred scenario agrees with recent seismological evidence for a global asthenosphere and previously proposed mechanisms for partial decoupling of slabs from surface plates.

Elastic and Seismic Properties of Dabie‐Sulu Ultrahigh Pressure Metamorphic Rocks

Abstract:Lamé modulus (λ) and shear modulus (μ) are among the most important, intrinsic, elastic constants of rocks. Using λ and μ could be much more advantageous than using P‐ and S‐wave velocities (Vp and Vs). Here we quantified these equivalent isotropic elastic moduli for 115 representative rocks from the ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane of the Dabie‐Sulu erogenic belt (China) and their variations with pressure (P), temperature (T), density (p), Vp, Vs and minera logical composition. Both moduli increase nonlinearly and linearly with increasing pressure at low (<200–300 MPa) and high (>200–300 MPa) pressures, respectively. In the regime of high pressures, λ and μ decrease quasi‐linearly with increasing temperature with temperature derivatives dλ/dT and dμ/dT generally in the range of –10 × 10–3 to –1 × 10–3 GPa/°C. Dehydration of water‐bearing minerals such as serpentine in peridotites and chlorite in retrograde eclogites results in an abrupt drop in λ while μ remains almost unchanged. In λ‐ρ, μ‐ρ and λ‐μ plots, the main categories of UHP rocks can be characterized. Serpentinization leads to significant decreases in μ and λ as serpentine has extremely low values of λ, μ and ρ. Eclogites, common mafic rocks (mafic gneiss, metagabbro and amphibolite), and felsic rocks (orthogneiss and paragneiss) have high, moderate and low μ and λ values, respectively. For pyroxenes and olivines, λ increases but μ decreases with increasing Fe/Mg ratios. For plagioclase feldspars, both λ and μ exhibit a significant positive correlation with anorthite content. SiO2‐rich felsic rocks and quartzites are deviated remarkably from the general trend lines of the acid‐intermediate‐mafic rocks in Vs‐ρ, μ‐ρ, λ‐Vp, λ‐Vs and μ‐λ diagrams because quartz has extremely low λ (∼8.1 GPa) and p (2.65 g/cm3) but moderate μ (44.4 GPa) values. Increasing the contents of garnet, rutile, ilmenite and magnetite results in a significant increase in the λ and μ values of the UHP metamorphic rocks. However, either λ or μ is insensitive to the compositional variations for pyralspite (pyrope‐almandine‐spessartine) solution series. The results provide potentially improved constraints on characterization of crustal composition based on the elastic properties of rocks and in situ seismic data from deep continental roots.

The effects of lithospheric thickness and density structure on Earth's stress field

SUMMARY Lithospheric density and thickness variations are important contributors to the state of stress of the plates. The relationship between the lithosphere's isostatic state, subcrustal structure and stress field, however, remains unresolved due to the uncertainties on its thickness, composition and rheology. To study the influence of lithospheric structure on intraplate stresses, we use a new model of global lithospheric structure (TDL) that accounts for the presence of depleted mantle to explore the effects of isostatic compensation, mantle density structure, lithospheric thickness (base depth) and mechanical coupling within the lithosphere on wavelengths >200 km. We compute the mean lithostatic stress (Ω) of 2°× 2° lithospheric columns and then solve for the resulting global ‘tectonic’ stress field for a homogeneous elastic lithosphere with the finite element package ABAQUS. For a 100 km base depth, a historically common value for lithospheric thickness, tectonic stress patterns are largely insensitive to mantle density structure and match patterns in the world stress map, for both isostatically compensanted and non-compensated lithospheric structure. Increasing the base depth up to 250 km to account for thick continental roots, however, leads to sharp variations in the stress field between isostatic lithospheric structure models and TDL as the mantle portion of the lithosphere dominates Ω. Decreasing the model base depths up to 25 km as a proxy for vertical strength variations due to low viscosity channels within the crust or lithosphere as a whole, strongly alters stresses in magnitude, azimuth and regime, as the influence of topography and shallow crustal structure increases. We find that restricting spatial changes in Ω to a specified region to mimic lateral variations in strength also has a large effect on the resulting stresses, which leads us to conclude that regional models may not always be adequate for modelling the stress field. Strong deviations from long-wavelength patterns on the world stress map in models with a shallow ( >150 km) uncompensated model base depth likely reflect that the globally averaged lithospheric thickness is close to 100 km and large deviations from this depth generate unrealistic stress patterns related to uncompensated buoyancy forces. Because the stresses are so sensitive to base depth, we conclude that using Ω to represent spatial and vertical variations in lithospheric structure is not an adequate approximation. Our results suggest that future studies must incorporate the full 3-D variations in density and rheology of the lithosphere to elucidate the source and nature of the lithospheric stress field. These studies have become possible with the advent of modern computational tools and advances in our knowledge of lithospheric structure and rheology.

The Canadian Rockies and Alberta Network (CRANE): New Constraints on the Rockies and Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

Other| July 01, 2011 The Canadian Rockies and Alberta Network (CRANE): New Constraints on the Rockies and Western Canada Sedimentary Basin Yu Jeffrey Gu; Yu Jeffrey Gu Department of Physics University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G2G7 Canada ygu@ualberta.ca (Y. J. G.) Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ahmet Okeler; Ahmet Okeler Department of Physics University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G2G7 Canada ygu@ualberta.ca (Y. J. G.) Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Luyi Shen; Luyi Shen Department of Physics University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G2G7 Canada ygu@ualberta.ca (Y. J. G.) Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Sean Contenti Sean Contenti Department of Physics University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G2G7 Canada ygu@ualberta.ca (Y. J. G.) Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Seismological Research Letters (2011) 82 (4): 575–588. https://doi.org/10.1785/gssrl.82.4.575 Article history 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 Yu Jeffrey Gu, Ahmet Okeler, Luyi Shen, Sean Contenti; The Canadian Rockies and Alberta Network (CRANE): New Constraints on the Rockies and Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Seismological Research Letters 2011;; 82 (4): 575–588. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/gssrl.82.4.575 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 SocietySeismological Research Letters Search Advanced Search Abstract The Canadian Rockies and the neighboring Alberta Basin mark the transition from the old North American continental lithosphere (east) to young accreted “terranes” (west). Geologic, seismic, and magnetic data in this region have suggested complex crustal domains, conductive anomalies, and major seismic velocity gradients in the mantle. However, the nature of the boundaries between the basement domains and their vertical extents remains controversial due to the lack of exposed geology and limited seismic and electromagnetic receivers. Since 2006, the seismic data coverage and depth sensitivity have received a major boost from the establishment of the Canadian Rockies and Alberta Network (nicknamed CRANE), the first semi-permanent broadband seismic array in Alberta. The availability of the array data provides vital constraints on the regional micro-earthquakes and crust/mantle seismic structures. Among the broad range of ongoing efforts, this study highlights promising results from the analyses of P-to-S wave receiver functions, shear wave splitting amplitudes/directions, and ambient seismic noise. Our preliminary receiver-function stacks show that the base of the crust gradually shallows from approximately 60 km beneath the Rockies near the Canadian-U.S. border to 37–40 km beneath central Alberta; the latter range is consistent with earlier findings from active-source experiments. Converted waves from “littered” crust and/or lithosphere have also been detected at a number of stations in the depth range of 80–130 km. Complexities in the lithosphere are further evidenced by our regional shear wave splitting measurements. We infer a strong east-west change of mantle flow pattern, consistent with present-day plate motion. The spatial distribution of the SKS fast orientations highlights the contrasting crust/mantle structures and histories between the Rockies and adjacent domains. Dynamic effects associated with a migrating continental root east of the province may be important. Finally, our preliminary inversions using ambient seismic noise indicate more than 0.8 km/s in peak-to-peak group velocity variations throughout the crust. The upper crust beneath the Alberta Basin is dominated by low Rayleigh-wave group velocities. A lower-than-expected correlation between seismic velocities and tectonic domain boundaries suggests significant tectonic overprinting in the southern Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Overall, the broadband seismic data from CRANE could play a key role in uncovering the mysteries of the crust and mantle beneath the transition region between cratons and terranes. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

Some issues on the strength of the lithosphere

The strength of the oceanic and continental lithosphere has important controls on some of the major geological processes on earth including the operation of plate tectonics and the long-term stability of the continental roots. However, explaining these major geological features from the experimental and theoretical studies on the strength of rocks is challenging and some of the existing models for the strength of the lithosphere do not explain these main geological observations. A brief review is provided to summarize recent progress in these areas with the emphasis on experimental studies.

Upper mantle anisotropy and transition zone thickness beneath southeastern North America and implications for mantle dynamics

A variety of models for mantle flow beneath southeastern North America have been proposed, including those that invoke westward driven return flow from the sinking Farallon slab, small‐scale convective downwelling at the edge of the continental root, or the upward advective transport of volatiles from the deep slab through the upper mantle. We use shear wave splitting observations and receiver function analysis at broadband seismic stations in the southeastern United States to test several of these proposed mantle flow geometries. Near the coast, stations exhibit well‐resolved null (no splitting) behavior for SKS phases over a range of back azimuths, consistent with either isotropic upper mantle or with a vertical axis of anisotropic symmetry. Farther inland we identify splitting with mainly NE–SW fast directions, consistent with asthenospheric shear due to absolute plate motion (APM), lithospheric anisotropy aligned with Appalachian tectonic structure, or a combination of these. Phase‐weighted stacking of individual receiver functions allows us to place constraints on the timing of arrivals from the 410 and 660 km discontinuities and on average transition zone thickness beneath individual stations. At most stations we find transition zone thicknesses that are consistent with the global average (∼240 km), with two stations showing evidence for a slightly thickened transition zone (∼250 km). Our results are relevant for testing different models for mantle dynamics beneath the southeastern United States, but due to the sparse station coverage, we are unable to uniquely constrain the pattern of mantle flow beneath the region. Our SKS splitting observations support a model in which mantle flow is primarily vertical (either upwelling or downwelling) beneath the southeastern edge of the North American continent, in contrast to the likely horizontal, APM‐driven flow beneath the continental interior. However, our receiver function analysis does not provide unequivocal support either for widespread hydration of the transition zone or for widespread thickening due to the downwelling of relatively cold mantle material. We expect that the necessary data to constrain such models more tightly can be obtained from the operation of denser seismic networks, including the Transportable Array and Flexible Array components of USArray.

Structure of the upper mantle and transition zone beneath Southeast Asia from traveltime tomography

Tomographic images of the mantle beneath East Asia were obtained from the inversion of traveltime data from global and regional seismograph networks and from temporary arrays on and around the Tibetan plateau. Our results are consistent with previous studies but the unprecedented resolution of mantle heterogeneity provides new insight into the large‐scale tectonic framework of the continental India‐Asia collision in the western part of the study region and subduction of the oceanic lithosphere in the east. In the realm of continental collision, west of ∼100°E, a relatively slow P‐wave speed characterizes the upper mantle beneath much of the Tibetan plateau but the wave speed is high beneath cratonic India, the southern and western part of the Tibetan plateau, Hindu‐Kush, and the Tian Shan. In the subduction realm, east of ∼110°E, the main structures are (i) pronounced low‐wave‐speed anomalies at a depth of between 100 and 400 km beneath Asia's southeastern seaboard and the back‐arc regions of ongoing subduction; (ii) narrow, fast anomalies in the upper mantle beneath major subduction zones; and (iii) widespread fast anomalies at a depth of 500–700 km beneath the Sea of Japan, the northern part of the Philippine Sea plate, and southeastern China. If the latter anomalies represent stagnant slabs, their fragmented nature and large lateral extent suggest that they are produced by different episodes of subduction beneath western Pacific island arcs, along the old SE margin of Asia, or during the Mesozoic collision of cratonic units in Southeast Asia. Attribution to ancient subduction systems implies that slab fragments can reside in the transition zone for (at least) several tens of millions of years. Shallow, slow anomalies beneath the Red River fault region connect to deep anomalies beneath the South China fold belt and South China Sea, suggesting a causal relationship between the evolution of the continental lithosphere of SW China and deeper mantle processes. Between the collision and the subduction realms, tomography reveals high‐wave‐speed continental roots beneath the western part of the North China craton (Ordos block) and the South China, or Yangtze, craton (Sichuan Basin) to a depth of ∼300 km.

Protracted continental collisions argue for continental plates driven by basal traction

In plate tectonic theory, collision between two continents should quickly terminate because of continental buoyancy. If convergence is to continue, it should do so at a new subduction zone where oceanic crust can be consumed. The protracted continental collisions in the Alps, Zagros, and Himalayas, which have continued to deform continental crust since the early or middle Cenozoic, are therefore anomalies in standard plate tectonic theory. It is commonly held that plates are driven by slab pull, but this does not account for the continuing Tethyan collisions where the descending slab has detached from the subducting continent. These protracted continental collisions are better explained by horizontal traction of the mantle on the base of deep continental roots, dragging the northern and southern continents together along a Tethyan axis of mantle convergence. “Continental undertow” thus resolves the collision anomaly in plate tectonics.

A review of water contents and ductile deformation mechanisms of olivine: Implications for the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary of continents

Water plays an important role in the ductile deformation and evolution of the upper mantle. Water contents of natural olivine from 240 samples reveal a wide variation of 0–170 ppm H 2O, suggesting heterogeneous water distribution in the continental upper mantle. The average water contents (17 ± 13 ppm H 2O) in kimberlite nodules provide the best estimation of water concentrations in olivine in the lithosphere beneath cratons. The very low water contents (7 ± 9 ppm H 2O) of olivine from basalt xenoliths are caused by significant hydrogen loss during transport, while the high values (44 ± 34 ppm H 2O) in olivine megacrysts from kimberlites reflect restricted fluid-rich conditions in the upper mantle. To compare deformation in different tectonic environments, the western Superior Province (Canada), the Dabie Mountains and the North Jiangsu basin (China) are selected to represent an Archean craton, an orogenic belt and a rift basin, respectively. Using recent flow laws of olivine, deformation maps of dry and wet olivine are constructed under P– T conditions of the three tectonic units and in a continental subduction zone characterized by P = 6.28 GPa and T = 900 °C. For dry olivine, diffusion creep is the dominant mechanism in all the cases, which is contrary to the widely observed crystal preferred orientation of olivine in peridotites and seismic anisotropy observations. For wet olivine, only a small amount of water (50 H/10 6 Si) can remarkably decrease the stress of dislocation creep and increase contribution of dislocation creep to the deformation of olivine. The strain rate profiles of olivine indicate a transition from dislocation creep to diffusion creep at a depth of ∼ 220 km, which can be related with the Lehmann discontinuity characterized by a rapid decrease in seismic anisotropy. However, the pressure-induced fabric transition from [100] slip to [001] slip may be responsible for the Lehmann discontinuity in subduction zones. Therefore rheology of the continental upper mantle is controlled by power-law creep of wet olivine, and diffusion creep is the dominant deformation mechanism in the deep upper mantle, especially for fine-grained peridotites. The mechanical lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) can be defined by the characteristic pressure derivative of effective viscosity. The sharp LAB beneath the Dabie Mountains and the Sulu terrane favors the lithosphere–asthenosphere decoupling, while the diffuse LAB beneath the western Superior Province will protect the continental root from convective erosion and mantle metasomatism. The long-term preservation of the continental roots can be attributed to a large viscosity contrast (temperature contrast) at a depth of < 150 km, and a thick and diffuse LAB at a depth of > 150 km.

Geometry and seismic properties of the subducting Cocos plate in central Mexico

The geometry and properties of the interface of the Cocos plate beneath central Mexico are determined from the receiver functions (RFs) utilizing data from the Meso America Subduction Experiment (MASE). The RF image shows that the subducting oceanic crust is shallowly dipping to the north at 15° for 80 km from Acapulco and then horizontally underplates the continental crust for approximately 200 km to the Trans‐Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB). The crustal image also shows that there is no continental root associated with the TMVB. The migrated image of the RFs shows that the slab is steeply dipping into the mantle at about 75° beneath the TMVB. Both the continental and oceanic Moho are clearly seen in both images, and modeling of the RF conversion amplitudes and timings of the underplated features reveals a thin low‐velocity zone between the plate and the continental crust that appears to absorb nearly all of the strain between the upper plate and the slab. By inverting RF amplitudes of the converted phases and their time separations, we produce detailed maps of the seismic properties of the upper and lower oceanic crust of the subducting Cocos plate and its thickness. High Poisson's and Vp/Vs ratios due to anomalously low S wave velocity at the upper oceanic crust in the flat slab region may indicate the presence of water and hydrous minerals or high pore pressure. The evidence of high water content within the oceanic crust explains the flat subduction geometry without strong coupling of two plates. This may also explain the nonvolcanic tremor activity and slow slip events occurring in the subducting plate and the overlying crust.

Teleseismic studies of the Canadian landmass: Lithoprobe and its legacyThis article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the themeLithoprobe — parameters, processes, and the evolution of a continent.ESS Contribution 20090305.

Although teleseismic research was only modestly represented within the Lithoprobe program, the analysis of deeper lithospheric structure beneath Canada using teleseismic methods has intensified in the past decade. This development is due in large part to a legacy of improved understanding of shallower lithospheric structures afforded by Lithoprobe. Most recent teleseismic experiments have been conducted in regions lying within Lithoprobe transects and coverage is particularly good in the Slave Province, southern and eastern Ontario, and southwestern British Columbia. A number of key results have arisen out of this collective body of work. Studies on the Slave Province and environs have placed strong constraints on the origin of the high-velocity continental root that underlies most of the Canadian Shield. Fine-scale, anisotropic stratigraphy in this region has been definitively tied to underplated lithosphere, indicating that shallow subduction has played a fundamental role in craton stabilization. Modification of continental lithosphere by the underlying convecting mantle has been extensively documented in the southeastern Canadian Shield and Slave Province, yielding insights into the forces driving plate motion and those that induce intraplate volcanism. Teleseismic investigations in British Columbia point to the importance of water in controlling the structure and dynamics of subduction zones, but have rekindled controversy concerning the location and characterization of the downgoing oceanic plate.

Provenance of the Novo Oriente Group, southwestern Ceará Central Domain, Borborema Province (NE-Brazil): A dismembered segment of a magma-poor passive margin or a restricted rift-related basin?

Integrated field, LA-MC-ICP-MS geochronology and geochemical data from the Novo Oriente Group have been investigated in order to determine their provenance and possible tectonic setting. This group in the southwestern portion of the Ceará Central Domain, is a well-preserved metavolcanosedimentary sequence, in part exhalative, composed of two distinct formations. The proximal coastal Bonsucesso Formation comprises mainly quartzite and minor basic metavolcanic rocks and is in gradational contact with the distal Caraúbas Formation which constitutes a metapelitic–volcanic-carbonate sequence, including metabasic rocks with pillow structure and sheared serpentinized ultrabasic rocks. The youngest detrital zircon found in the quartzite of the Bonsucesso Formation yielded an age of ca. 2.1 Ga and well-defined peaks around 2.2, 2.3–2.4 and 2.5 Ga. In addition, zircons from a related metabasalt yielded an upper intercept age of 2083 ± 28 Ma. We interpret the zircons found in this metabasalt as inherited from the host quartzite. This fact is supported by depleted-mantle Nd model ages ( T DM age) from correlated metabasic and metaultrabasic rocks from other places in the Novo Oriente sequence, which have yielded ages between 1.36 and 1.69 Ga, that is younger than the zircon age obtained in the metabasalt extruded over the Bonsucesso quartzite. Geochemical data of the metasedimentary rocks from the Caraúbas Formation indicates a provenance composed of a mixture of felsic and intermediate sources typical of old stable cratons and older continental roots of active tectonic settings. The rocks of the Granja (Médio Coreaú Domain) and Bacajá Complexes (southeastern Amazonian Craton) exposed to the west of the Novo Oriente Group, and largely covered by the Phanerozoic Parnaíba intracratonic basin, are the most likely source rocks. Since the precise age of the Novo Oriente Group is not yet well constrained, two distinct settings may be proposed: (1) it may represent a more evolved basin developed from extensional processes during the Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1.5–1.3 Ga); and (2) it could constitute part of the passive margin systems developed during the break-up of the Rodinia crown copyright supercontinent (ca. 0.95–0.8 Ga), associated with a pre-Brasiliano/Pan-African ocean (e.g. Pharusian Ocean).

Buoyant ancient continental mantle embedded in oceanic lithosphere (Sal Island, Cape Verde Archipelago)

The Cape Verde Islands lie in the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa, in a clearly oceanic setting. The lavas of some islands carry mantle-derived xenoliths of depleted peridotites petrologically similar to those derived from cratonic lithospheric mantle. Oceanic lithospheric mantle, in contrast, consists mainly of less-depleted lherzolites and harzburgites formed by the extraction of mid-ocean ridge basalts. In situ Re–Os analyses of individual sulfide grains from the xenoliths yield Re-depletion model ages ranging mainly from Neoproterozoic to Archean. Their age distribution mirrors the tectonic history of the western margin of the West African Craton and the corresponding continental margin of Brazil. These data and seismic tomography suggest that part of the Cape Verde Archipelago is underlain by a fragment of ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle, left stranded in the oceanic lithosphere during the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. Contamination of magmas by this ancient continental root can explain the unusual isotopic characteristics of some Cape Verde lavas without recourse to recycled continental material in the sources of mantle plumes.

Modification of the lithospheric stress field by lateral variations in plate‐mantle coupling

The presence of deeply penetrating continental roots may locally increase the magnitude of basal shear tractions by up to a factor of 4 compared to a layered viscosity structure. Here we examine how these increases in mantle‐lithosphere coupling influence stress patterns in the overlying elastic lithosphere. By coupling a mantle flow model to a model for the elastic lithosphere, we show that the amplification of mantle tractions beneath cratons increases elastic stress magnitudes by at most a factor of only 1.5 in a pattern not correlated to local basal traction changes. This disconnect is explained by the transmission of elastic stresses across large distances, which makes them sensitive to regionally‐averaged changes in basal tractions, but not local variations. Our results highlight the importance of regional variations in lithospheric strength, which could allow stress patterns to more closely match regional changes in basal shear.

Stratigraphy of the Archean western Superior Province from P- and S-wave receiver functions: Further evidence for tectonic accretion?

The Archean western Superior Province in Canada represents the nucleus of the North American continent whose origin has been speculated to be the result of widespread crustal accretion some 2.7 Ga ago. In this paper, crustal and upper-mantle seismic discontinuities beneath the western Superior Province of the Canadian shield are imaged with teleseismic P-to-S and S-to-P converted phases using the receiver function method. Three crustal discontinuities are observed: the Moho, ranging in depth between 38 and 47 km and dipping to the south; and two intra-crustal discontinuities having depths of approximately 15 and 30 km. The crustal discontinuities undulate laterally and often lose continuity, possibly indicating an imbricated structure and/or regions of velocity gradients. In the shallow lithosphere, a positive discontinuity is imaged at approximately 65 km depth and is consistent with earlier refraction and wide-angle reflection results. Additionally, two zones of negative receiver function amplitudes at 55 km depth are observed and are coincident with a region of anomalous tomographic low P- and S-wave velocities as well as a zone of high electrical conductivity. The images for the crust and shallow upper-mantle, when integrated with previous geophysical studies, are consistent with ideas of continental root formation due to imbrication of Archean subducted material and accretion of island arcs observed in surface geology.

Tectonic deformation of the Indochina Peninsula recorded in the Mesozoic palaeomagnetic results

SUMMARY In order to describe features of tectonic deformation in the Indochina Peninsula, Early Jurassic to Early Cretaceous red sandstones were sampled at three localities in the Shan-Thai and Indochina blocks. Stepwise thermal treatment of most samples revealed the presence of characteristic remanent magnetization, which is generally unblocked by 680 °C. This component from Phong Saly (21.6°N, 101.9°E) and Borikhanxay (18.5°N, 103.8°E) localities yield positive fold tests with Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous directions of Dec/Inc = 28.8°/32.1° (ks= 15.4, α95= 8.8°, N= 22) and Dec/Inc = 42.1°/46.9° (ks= 20.1, α95= 7.9°, N= 18), respectively. Additionally, a syn-folding mid-Cretaceous characteristic magnetization is observed in the samples of Muang Phin locality (16.5°N, 106.1°E), which gave a mean direction of Dec/Inc = 30.8°/39.9°, k= 102.6, α95= 3.0°, N= 23. This reliable Late Jurassic to Mid-Cretaceous palaeomagnetic directions from three different localities are incorporated into a palaeomagnetic database for Shan-Thai and Indochina blocks. Based on these compilations, tectonic deformation of the Shan-Thai and Indochina blocks is summarized as follows: (1) the Shan-Thai and Indochina blocks experienced a clockwise rotation of about 10° as a composite unit in the early stage of India–Asia collision and (2) following this, the Shan-Thai Block underwent an internal tectonic deformation, whereas the Indochina Block behaved as a rigid tectonic unit during the same period. Comparison of our palaeomagnetic results with seismic tomographic images suggests that the strength of continental lithosphere beneath these blocks played an important role in the process of deformation rather than any other tectonic regime. In contrast to the Shan-Thai Block, an existence of continental roots beneath the Indochina Block prevented its internal deformation.