Mantle convection models constrain central Neo-Tethys Ocean reconstructions
- Abstract
A striking feature of the Indian Ocean is a distinct geoid low south of India, pointing to a regionally anomalous mantle density structure. Equally prominent are rapid plate convergence rate variations between India and SE Asia, particularly in Late Cretaceous/Paleocene times. Both observations are linked to the central Neo-Tethys Ocean subduction history, for which competing scenarios have been proposed. Here we evaluate three alternative reconstructions by assimilating their associated time-dependent velocity fields in global high-resolution geodynamic Earth models, allowing us to predict the resulting seismic mantle heterogeneity and geoid signal. Our analysis reveals that a geoid low similar to the one observed develops naturally when a long-lived back-arc basin south of Eurasia's paleo-margin is assumed. A quantitative comparison to seismic tomography further supports this model. In contrast, reconstructions assuming a single northward dipping subduction zone along Eurasia's margin or models incorporating a temporary southward dipping intra-oceanic subduction zone cannot sufficiently reproduce geoid and seismic observations.
- Further Information
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016GL070524
- BibTeX
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@article{id2207, author = {Nerlich, Rainer and Colli, Lorenzo and Ghelichkhan, Siavash and Schuberth, Bernhard and Bunge, Hans-Peter}, doi = {10.1002/2016GL070524}, journal = {Geophysical Research Letters}, language = {en}, number = {18}, pages = {9595{\textendash}9603}, title = {Mantle convection models constrain central Neo-Tethys Ocean reconstructions}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016GL070524}, volume = {43}, year = {2016}, }
- EndNote
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%O Journal Article %A Nerlich, Rainer %A Colli, Lorenzo %A Ghelichkhan, Siavash %A Schuberth, Bernhard %A Bunge, Hans-Peter %R 10.1002/2016GL070524 %J Geophysical Research Letters %G en %N 18 %P 9595–9603 %T Mantle convection models constrain central Neo-Tethys Ocean reconstructions %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016GL070524 %V 43 %D 2016