Construction Of Boundaries Research Articles

Forces within continental and oceanic rifts: Numerical modeling elucidates the impact of asthenospheric flow on surface stress

Forces within continental and oceanic rifts: Numerical modeling elucidates the impact of asthenospheric flow on surface stress

The Role of Oceanic Transform Faults in Seafloor Spreading: A Global Perspective From Seismic Anisotropy.

Mantle anisotropy beneath mid‐ocean ridges and oceanic transforms is key to our understanding of seafloor spreading and underlying dynamics of divergent plate boundaries. Observations are sparse, however, given the remoteness of the oceans and the difficulties of seismic instrumentation. To overcome this, we utilize the global distribution of seismicity along transform faults to measure shear wave splitting of over 550 direct S phases recorded at 56 carefully selected seismic stations worldwide. Applying this source‐side splitting technique allows for characterization of the upper mantle seismic anisotropy, and therefore the pattern of mantle flow, directly beneath seismically active transform faults. The majority of the results (60%) return nulls (no splitting), while the non‐null measurements display clear azimuthal dependency. This is best simply explained by anisotropy with a near vertical symmetry axis, consistent with mantle upwelling beneath oceanic transforms as suggested by numerical models. It appears therefore that the long‐term stability of seafloor spreading may be associated with widespread mantle upwelling beneath the transforms creating warm and weak faults that localize strain to the plate boundary.

A Geodetic Strain Rate Model for the East African Rift System

Here we describe the new Sub-Saharan Africa Geodetic Strain Rate Model v.1.0 (SSA-GSRM v.1.0), which provides fundamental constraints on long-term tectonic deformation in the region and an improved seismic hazards assessment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa encompasses the East African Rift System, the active divergent plate boundary between the Nubian and Somalian plates, where strain is largely accommodated along the boundaries of three subplates. We develop an improved geodetic strain rate field for sub-Saharan Africa that incorporates 1) an expanded geodetic velocity field, 2) redefined regions of deforming zones guided by seismicity distribution, and 3) updated constraints on block rotations. SSA-GSRM v.1.0 spans longitudes 22° to 55.5° and latitudes −52° to 20° with 0.25° (longitude) by 0.2° (latitude) spacing. For plates/sub-plates, we assign rigid block rotations as constraints on the strain rate calculation that is determined by fitting bicubic Bessel splines to a new geodetic velocity solution for an interpolated velocity gradient tensor field. We derive strain rates, velocities, and vorticity rates from the velocity gradient tensor field. A comparison with the Global Geodetic Strain Rate model v2.1 reveals regions of previously unresolved spatial heterogeneities in geodetic strain rate distribution, which indicates zones of elevated seismic risk.

Structures and Styles of Deformation in Rift, Ridge, Transform Zone, Oblique Rift and a Microplate Offshore/Onshore North Iceland

The diverging plate boundaries in North Iceland and its shelf display a complex tectonic at the Kolbeinsey Ridge (K-R), the Northern Rift Zone (NRZ), and the Tj?rnes Fracture Zone containing the Grímsey Oblique Rift (GOR), the Húsavík-Flatey Fault (HFF), and the Dalvík Lineament (DL). While active deformation is well-known, the structural pattern is sporadically mapped and a comprehensive account of the upper Tertiary-present deformation is not fully at hand. To address the gaps, this paper provides new regional tectonic maps with continuous coverage, and detailed analyses of the deformation. Faults, open fractures, prominent joints and volcanic edifices were identified on Multibeam/Single beam, Spot 5, and Digital Elevation Model, and subjected to multidisciplinary structural analysis and correlation with selected data. Some of the results are: 1) Six sets constitute the structural pattern. The N-S rift-parallel normal faults are 1/3, and the shear fractures of the transform zone and the oblique rift 2/3 of the fracture population. The en échelon arrangements above deep-seated shear zones indicate dextral slip on WNW to NW, and sinistral slip on NNE to ENE faults, conformable with earthquake data. 2) During the polyphase tectonic, the six sets led to basin and horst formation, block compartmentalisation, rotation, horsetail splay, rhomb-graben in relay zone of strike-slips, and volcanism. 3) Listric faults are absent and the steeply-dipping faults are antithetic, synthetic, or form extensional flower structures above 4 km depth. The Plio-pleistocene/present syn-sedimentary deformation caused a deep half graben in the Eyjafjarearáll Basin (Ey), fault growth, rollover, and sediment onlaps, with some of the faults still active. 4) The plate boundaries of K-R/Ey, GOR/?xarfjreur/NRZ, and DL delimit a major microplate labelled here as Grímsey-Tj?rnes-Dalvík. 5) The WNW earthquake cluster in GOR corresponds either to a blind horsetail splay fault or to initiation of a transform segment parallel to the HFF. The described tectonic-sedimentary-magmatic deformation is relevant to other diverging plate boundaries where similar sets control the hydrocarbon and geothermal resources.

Velocity models of the upper mantle of the continental and oceanic rifts

The 1-D velocity models of longitudinal seismic waves distribution for the upper mantle of the continent rift systems which directly border with the mid-oceanic ridges (MOR) are constructed. A difference in the models between the named types of structures is established. Near the continents (but located on the oceanic crust) MOR velocity sections do not practically differ from those established on the oceans. The maximum speed anomalies are presented here. Under continental rift systems, the anomaly is less, in some cases because of the presence of arrays not covered by rifting processes within them, or the processes take place at untypical conditions. Velocity models corresponding to schemes of deep-seated processes on the advection-polymorphic hypothesis are constructed. Their comparison with experimental data (in part, according to the literature data) has been carried out. Their consistency is established.

Interaction between central volcanoes and regional tectonics along divergent plate boundaries: Askja, Iceland

Activity within magmatic divergent plate boundaries (MDPB) focuses along both regional fissure swarms and central volcanoes. An ideal place to investigate their mutual relationship is the Askja central volcano in Iceland. Askja consists of three nested calderas (namely Kollur, Askja and Oskjuvatn) located within a hyaloclastite massif along the NNE-SSW trending Icelandic MDPB. We performed an extensive field-based structural analysis supported by a remote sensing study of tectonic and volcanic features of Askja’s calderas and of the eastern flank of the hyaloclastite massif. In the massif, volcano-tectonic structures trend N 10° E to N 40° E, but they vary around the Askja caldera being both parallel to the caldera rim and cross-cutting on the Western side. Structural trends around the Oskjuvatn caldera are typically rim parallel. Volcanic vents and dikes are preferentially distributed along the caldera ring faults; however, they follow the NNE-SSW regional structures when located outside the calderas. Our results highlight that the Askja volcano displays a balanced amount of regional (fissure-swarm related) and local (shallow-magma-chamber related) tectonic structures along with a mutual interaction among these. This is different from Krafla volcano (to the north of Askja) dominated by regional structures and Grimsvotn (to the South) dominated by local structures. Therefore, Askja represents an intermediate tectono-magmatic setting for volcanoes located in a slow divergent plate boundary. This is also likely in accordance with a northward increase in the spreading rate along the Icelandic MDPB.

Birth of an oceanic spreading center at a magma-poor rift system

Oceanic crust is continuously created at mid-oceanic ridges and seafloor spreading represents one of the main processes of plate tectonics. However, if oceanic crust architecture, composition and formation at present-day oceanic ridges are largely described, the processes governing the birth of a spreading center remain enigmatic. Understanding the transition between inherited continental and new oceanic domains is a prerequisite to constrain one of the last major unsolved problems of plate tectonics, namely the formation of a stable divergent plate boundary. In this paper, we present newly released high-resolution seismic reflection profiles that image the complete transition from unambiguous continental to oceanic crusts in the Gulf of Guinea. Based on these high-resolution seismic sections we show that onset of oceanic seafloor spreading is associated with the formation of a hybrid crust in which thinned continental crust and/or exhumed mantle is sandwiched between magmatic intrusive and extrusive bodies. This crust results from a polyphase evolution showing a gradual transition from tectonic-driven to magmatic-driven processes. The results presented in this paper provide a characterization of the domain in which lithospheric breakup occurs and enable to define the processes controlling formation of a new plate boundary.

Velocity models and hypocenter relocations for the Charlevoix Seismic Zone

AbstractThree‐dimensional P and S wave velocity (Vp and Vs) models and hypocenter relocations are determined for the Charlevoix Seismic Zone (CSZ) using local arrival time tomography. The CSZ is located along the St. Lawrence River about 100 km downstream from Quebec City, Canada, and is one of the most active seismic zones in eastern North America. Earthquakes occur in Grenvillian basement rocks affected by Iapetan Ocean rifting and a large Devonian meteor impact. Low Vp and Vs are associated with the impact structure to a depth of 12 km. Relocated hypocenters form a semicircle delineating the eastern margin of the impact structure. Northeast of the impact, hypocenters cluster into two groups separated by a region of high Vp and Vs velocity. Hypocenters within each group align along planar surfaces, suggesting the presence of distinct seismogenic faults. The planes trend NE, in the same direction as the Iapetan rift faults, and dip to the SE. One plane is located beneath the north shore of the St. Lawrence River and extends to a depth of at least 30 km. Two other planes with shallower dips are located beneath the river and extend to depths of 12 and 15 km. All three planes are disrupted within the impact zone but can be followed, suggesting partial preservation of rift‐parallel fault fabric.

AN EARTHQUAKE CATALOG OF MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge (M-AR), which runs along the centre of the Atlantic Ocean, is one of the best known divergent boundaries. Seismic studies have been a crucial factor in deciphering the structure of the oceanic crust. For their performance a necessary prerequisite is the compilation of a reliable earthquake catalog of the broader area. In this study, an attempt was made to create an earthquake catalog of M-AR that could become a useful “tool” for large-scale seismological studies of this region. For this reason a very large sample of data from several seismological centers, as well as from already published catalogs of strong earthquakes, was collected and examined. ISC was considered as the main reference agency, while as reference magnitude scale the moment magnitude scale, MW was adopted. The main goal was to identify and organize the best and most recent information available for earthquakes falling within the time window 1900-2014 and the space window bounded by the extended coordinates ~ 81 (N) to -51 (S) and 10 (E) to ~ -50 (W). After magnitude homogenization, check of focal depths and definition of completeness magnitude, a reliable and homogeneous earthquake catalog of M AR consisting of 14,211 events was created, available for any seismological use and further study.

Spatial variation in the frequency-magnitude distribution of earthquakes under the tectonic framework in the Middle East

Spatial variations of seismic energy released and b-value over the Middle East region are investigated based on a seismicity catalog from 1995 to 2007. The goal is to use these seismic parameters and based on other geodetic and geophysical observations, such as GPS measurements, strain rate model, fault distribution, focal mechanism, crustal model, Q model, and gravity measurements, etc., to uncover spatial patterns that seem anomalous. Areas of high energy released (cumulative) seem to correspond to the areas of relatively high b-values. Areas of high energy released and high b-values seem to correspond very well with the location of continental collision where earthquake activities are high. The divergent boundary between Arabia and African plates and subduction zone at Makran seem to correspond to low to moderate energy release.Northern Pamir, Azerbaijan-Caucasus, the lower part of Zagros Mountains, eastern Turkey, Owen Fracture Zone, Strait of Bob-el-Mandeb, and south of the Sulaiman Shear Zone seem to correspond to high cumulative energy-released, high strain rate, high b-values, and high fault density. While, the central and eastern Iran, southern Zagros, northern Pakistan, Gulf of Aden, Alborz, southwest of the Caspian Sea, western Caucasus and Kopeh-Dagh seem to correspond with lower b-values.The cross-section map for Hindu-Kush shows general decreasing of the b-values with depth, however, a region of high b-value is observed underneath Pamir at depths from 170 to 230km. This anomaly region can be due to dehydration of Pamir crustal slab at depth.

Nonconservative stability of viscoelastic plates subject to triangularly distributed follower loads

Divergence and flutter instabilities of viscoelastic rectangular plates under triangularly distributed tangential follower loads are studied. Two sets of boundary conditions are considered, namely, simply supported plates and plates with a combination of clamped and simply supported edges. The constitutive relations for the viscoelastic plates are of Kelvin-Voigt type with the effect of viscoelasticity on stability studied numerically. The method of solution is differential quadrature which is employed to discretize the equation of motion and the boundary conditions leading to a generalized eigenvalue problem. After verifying the method of solution, numerical results are given for the real and imaginary parts of the eigenfrequencies to investigate flutter and divergence characteristics and dynamic stability of the plates with respect to various problem parameters.

Stagnant lid tectonics: Perspectives from silicate planets, dwarf planets, large moons, and large asteroids

To better understand Earth's present tectonic style–plate tectonics–and how it may have evolved from single plate (stagnant lid) tectonics, it is instructive to consider how common it is among similar bodies in the Solar System. Plate tectonics is a style of convection for an active planetoid where lid fragment (plate) motions reflect sinking of dense lithosphere in subduction zones, causing upwelling of asthenosphere at divergent plate boundaries and accompanied by focused upwellings, or mantle plumes; any other tectonic style is usefully called “stagnant lid” or “fragmented lid”. In 2015 humanity completed a 50+ year effort to survey the 30 largest planets, asteroids, satellites, and inner Kuiper Belt objects, which we informally call “planetoids” and use especially images of these bodies to infer their tectonic activity. The four largest planetoids are enveloped in gas and ice (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) and are not considered. The other 26 planetoids range in mass over 5 orders of magnitude and in diameter over 2 orders of magnitude, from massive Earth down to tiny Proteus; these bodies also range widely in density, from 1000 to 5500 kg/m3. A gap separates 8 silicate planetoids with ρ = 3000 kg/m3 or greater from 20 icy planetoids (including the gaseous and icy giant planets) with ρ = 2200 kg/m3 or less. We define the “Tectonic Activity Index” (TAI), scoring each body from 0 to 3 based on evidence for recent volcanism, deformation, and resurfacing (inferred from impact crater density). Nine planetoids with TAI = 2 or greater are interpreted to be tectonically and convectively active whereas 17 with TAI <2 are inferred to be tectonically dead. We further infer that active planetoids have lithospheres or icy shells overlying asthenosphere or water/weak ice. TAI of silicate (rocky) planetoids positively correlates with their inferred Rayleigh number. We conclude that some type of stagnant lid tectonics is the dominant mode of heat loss and that plate tectonics is unusual. To make progress understanding Earth's tectonic history and the tectonic style of active exoplanets, we need to better understand the range and controls of active stagnant lid tectonics.

Ostracod provincialism and migration as a response to movements of Earth's plates: Cretaceous-Paleogene ostracods of West Africa, North Africa and the Middle East

This paper documents the Cretaceous –Paleogene ostracods response as the continental plates tend to show divergence. For example, in the intervals from the Early to Late Cretaceous when the South American plate tended to exhibit divergent movement westward from the African plate, the migration of ostracods show westward trend from Northeast Africa to West Africa; whereas, the divergence of the Indian and the Australian plates as well as the Antarctic plate from the African and the Eurasian plates, and Arabia is accompanied with ostracod migration southward. Another example from the Maastrichtian-Eocene ostracods of West Africa, where ostracods exhibit east-west migration (despite the migration of epineritic ostracods in both directions; east-west and vice-versa) towards the North American and South American plates. These trends of migration towards the deep oceans (Atlantic and Indian oceans of present time) indicate the tendency of ostracods of these geologic times towards endemism in the deep oceans resulted from seafloor spreading during the divergence of the continental plates. On the other hand, the paleoenvironmental changes should also have significant effect on these trends of migration.

Assessing seismic hazard of the East African Rift: a pilot study from GEM and AfricaArray

The East African Rift System is the major active tectonic feature of the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Although the seismicity level of this divergent plate boundary can be described as moderate, several damaging earthquakes have been reported in historical times, and the seismic risk is exacerbated by the high vulnerability of the local buildings and structures. Formulation and enforcement of national seismic codes is therefore an essential future risk mitigation strategy. Nonetheless, a reliable risk assessment cannot be done without the calibration of an updated seismic hazard model for the region. A major limitation affecting the assessment of seismic hazard in Sub-Saharan Africa is the lack of basic information needed to construct source and ground motion models. The historical earthquake record is sparse, with significant variation in completeness over time across different regions. The instrumental catalogue is complete down to sufficient magnitude only for a relatively short time span. In addition, mapping of seismogenically active faults is still an on-going task, and few faults in the region are sufficiently constrained as to allow them to be directly represented within the seismic hazard model. Recent studies have identified major seismogenic lineaments, but there is substantial lack of kinematic information for intermediate-to-small scale tectonic features, information that is essential for the proper calibration of earthquake recurrence models. In this study, we use new data and Global Earthquake Model (GEM) computational tools such as the Hazard Modeller’s Toolkit and the OpenQuake engine to perform a pilot study of the seismic hazard associated with the East African Rift. The hazard model obtained has been created using the most recent information available from scientific literature, global bulletins and local earthquake catalogues, including those from AfricaArray projects. In this report, in accordance with the GEM philosophy, we describe in detail all working assumptions, main processing steps, data analyses and interpretations used for the model setup.

Gas chemistry of Icelandic thermal fluids

The chemistry of gases in thermal fluids from Iceland was studied in order to evaluate the sources and processes affecting volatile concentrations in volcanic geothermal systems at divergent plate boundaries. The fluids included vapor fumaroles and two-phase well discharges with temperatures of ~100–340°C. The vapor was dominated by H2O accounting for 62–100mol% and generally for >99mol%, with CO2, H2S and H2 being the dominant gases followed by N2, CH4, and Ar. Overall mineral-gas and gas-gas equilibria were not observed for the major gases, including CO2, H2S, H2 and CH4 within the geothermal reservoirs. Instead the system proved to be controlled by source(s) and their ratios and various metastable equilibria along a fluid-rock reaction progress with gas concentrations controlled by such metastable equilibria varying at particular temperatures as a functional extent of reaction. The concentrations of H2S and H2 closely reflect mineral-fluid metastable equilibria, whereas CO2 concentrations are controlled by the input of magma gas corresponding to >0.1 to <5% mass input. With fluid ascent to the surface, boiling and condensation may occur, further changing the gas concentrations and hence surface fumaroles may not reflect the reservoir fluid characteristics but rather secondary processes.

Deformation in the Northern Volcanic Zone of Iceland 2008–2014: An interplay of tectonic, magmatic, and glacial isostatic deformation

AbstractGPS measurements spanning 2008 to 2014 are used to derive the surface velocity field across the Northern Volcanic Zone (NVZ) of Iceland, a subaerial part of the divergent boundary between the North American and Eurasian plates. No volcanic activity nor magmatic intrusions were detected in the zone during this time period. We infer an extensional rate of 17.4 mm/yr in direction 292.0 °, consistent with the results of previous studies and current plate motion models including MORVEL2010 and GEODVEL2010. The horizontal velocity field reveals about 50 km wide stretching zone caused by the divergent plate movements. Glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) induces uplift of over 20 mm/yr at the northern edge of Vatnajökull ice cap and 3–4 mm/yr horizontal motion directed away from the ice cap. Deformation in the NVZ between 2008 and 2014 can be reproduced by a combination of models relating to several different processes: (i) Mogi sources for volcanic and geothermal deformation at the Askja and Krafla volcanoes, (ii) scaled version of a velocity field derived from a glacial isostatic model, and (iii) simple arctangent‐based model for secular plate spreading. We find the approximate location of the plate boundary spreading axis as well as its locking depth. The spreading axis lies through the Krafla, Fremrinámar, and Askja central volcanoes, the most active ones in the NVZ. It does not appear to follow the general direction of each fissure swarm but rather to change direction at the central volcanoes. The locking depth is on average within the 7–9 km range.

A genetic link between transform and hyper-extended margins

The similarity between the geometry of the West African and South American coastlines is among one of the strongest natural observations supporting the plate tectonic paradigm. However, using classical plate tectonic approaches to model these conjugate transform margins results in a high degree of variability in palaeogeographic reconstructions. Using state-of-the-art 3D coupled thermo-mechanical numerical models, we simulate for the first time, crustal deformation at the onset of oceanisation along large offset oblique margins. Our models show that obliquity causes oceanic rift propagation to stall, resulting in an apparent polyphased tectonic evolution, and in some circumstances leads to the formation of hyper-extended margins. As a result, conjugate margins located at the edge of future fracture zones are highly asymmetric from rifting to spreading, with their lengths differing by a factor of 5 to 10, before the final phase of break-up occurs. Accounting for this discrepancy should ameliorate future palaeogeographic reconstructions.

Interactions between propagating rotational rifts and linear rheological heterogeneities: Insights from three‐dimensional laboratory experiments

The lateral propagation of rifts is a consequence of the relative divergence of lithospheric plates about a pole of rotation. Modern and ancient examples of rifts are known to overprint pre-existing linear anisotropies in the crust and lithosphere, such as lithospheric boundaries, crustal sutures, and thermal anomalies. Here we investigate how propagating rifts interact with pre-existing structures by using three-dimensional analogue experiments with rotational extensional boundary conditions and variably oriented linear weak zones in the lithospheric mantle. When linear weaknesses are oriented at low angles to the rift axis, early strain localization occurs in narrow domains, which merge at later stages, resulting in continental break up by unzipping. Strong strain partitioning is observed when the linear heterogeneity is oriented at high angles with respect to the rift axis. In these experiments, early sub-parallel V-shaped basins propagate toward the pole of rotation until they are abandoned and strain is transferred entirely to structures developed in the vicinity of the strongly oblique weak lithosphere zone boundary. The experimental results are characterized in terms of their evolution, patterns of strain localization, and surface topography as a function of the lithospheric heterogeneity obliquity angle. Comparison of the experiments to ancient and modern examples in nature may help to elucidate the common but still poorly understood process of propagating rift-lithospheric heterogeneity interaction.

Sulfur isotopes in Icelandic thermal fluids

Multiple sulfur isotope compositions of thermal fluids from Iceland were measured in order to evaluate the sources and reactions of sulfur and sulfur isotope fractionation in geothermal systems at Icelandic divergent plate boundaries, characterized by MORB-like basalts. The geothermal systems studied had a wide range of reservoir temperatures of 56–296°C and Cl concentrations of 18–21,000ppm. Dissolved sulfide (∑S−II) and SO4 concentrations in liquid water measured <0.01–165ppm and 1.3–300ppm, respectively, and H2S(g) concentrations in the vapor 4.9–2000 ppm. The δ34S and Δ33S values for different phases and oxidation states were highly variable: δ34S∑S−II=−11.6 to 10.5‰ (n=99), ∆33S∑S−II=−0.12 to 0.00‰ (n=45), δ34SSO4=−1.0 to 24.9‰ (n=125), ∆33SSO4=−0.04 to 0.02‰ (n=50), δ34SH2S(g)=−2.6 to 5.9‰ (n=112) and ∆33SH2S(g)=−0.03 to 0.00‰ (n=56). The multiple sulfur isotope values of the thermal fluids are interpreted to reflect various sources of sulfur in the fluids, as well as isotope fractionation occurring within the geothermal systems associated with fluid-rock interaction, boiling and oxidation and reduction reactions. The results of isotope geochemical modeling demonstrate that the sources of S−II in the thermal fluid are leaching of basalt (MORB) and seawater SO4 reduction for saline systems with insignificant magma gas input, and that the observed ranges of δ34S and Δ33S for ∑S−II and H2S(g) reflect isotope fractionation between minerals and aqueous and gaseous species upon fluid-rock interaction and boiling. The sources of SO4 are taken to be multiple, including oxidation of S−II originating from basalt, leaching of SVI from the basalts and the seawater itself in the case of saline systems. In low-temperature fluids, the δ34S and Δ33S values reflect the various sources of sulfur. For high-temperature fluids, fluid-rock interaction, ∑S−II oxidation and SO4 reduction and sulfide and sulfate mineral formation result in a large range of δ34S and Δ33S values for ∑S−II and SO4 in the fluids, highlighting the importance and effects of chemical reactions on the isotope systematics of reactive elements like sulfur. Such effects needed to be quantified in order to reveal the various sources of an element.

Subduction zone decoupling/retreat modeling explains south Tibet (Xigaze) and other supra-subduction zone ophiolites and their UHP mineral phases

The plate tectonic setting in which proto-ophiolite ‘oceanic’ lithosphere is created remains controversial with a number of environments suggested. Recent opinions tend to coalesce around supra-subduction zone (SSZ) forearc extension, with a popular conceptual model in which the proto-ophiolite forms during foundering of oceanic lithosphere at the time of spontaneous or induced onset of subduction. This mechanism is favored in intra-oceanic settings where the subducting lithosphere is old and the upper plate is young and thin. We investigate an alternative mechanism; namely, decoupling of the subducting oceanic lithosphere in the forearc of an active continental margin, followed by subduction zone (trench) retreat and creation of a forearc oceanic rift basin, containing proto-ophiolite lithosphere, between the continental margin and the retreating subduction zone. A template of 2D numerical model experiments examines the trade-off between strength of viscous coupling in the lithospheric subduction channel and net slab pull of the subducting lithosphere. Three tectonic styles are observed: 1) C, continuous subduction without forearc decoupling; 2) R, forearc decoupling followed by rapid subduction zone retreat; 3) B, breakoff of subducting lithosphere followed by re-initiation of subduction and in some cases, forearc decoupling (B-R). In one case (BA-B-R; where BA denotes backarc) subduction zone retreat follows backarc rifting. Subduction zone decoupling is analyzed using frictional-plastic yield theory and the Stefan solution for the separation of plates containing a viscous fluid. The numerical model results are used to explain the formation of Xigaze group ophiolites, southern Tibet, which formed in the Lhasa terrane forearc, likely following earlier subduction and not necessarily during subduction initiation. Either there was normal coupled subduction before subduction zone decoupling, or precursor slab breakoff, subduction re-initiation and then decoupling. Rapid deep upper-mantle circulation in the models during subduction zone retreat can exhume and emplace material in the forearc proto-ophiolite from as deep as the mantle transition zone, thereby explaining diamonds and other 10–15 GPa UHP phases in Tibetan ophiolites.