Mesozoic plate-motion history below the northeast Pacific Ocean from seismic images of the subducted Farallon slab

Abstract

High resolution seismic images of subducted slabs are a powerful means to reconstruct paleogeography $^3$. They can now be interpreted quantitatively by involving the general circulation of Earth's mantle. Here we show with a 3D spherical computer model of mantle convection $^{5,6}$ that seismic images of the Farallon plate provide supporting evidence for a Mesozoic period of low angle subduction under North America. Such period has been invoked independently to explain Rocky Mountain uplift far inland from the plate boundary during the Laramide orogeny. The computer simulations also allow us to locate the largely unknown Kula-Farallon spreading plate boundary, which is important to infer trajectories of "suspect" terranes across the Pacific basin. The results suggest using convection models to improve reconstructions of past plate motion.

Further Information
http://www.geophysik.uni-muenchen.de/Members/bunge/download/farallon.pdf http://www.geophysik.uni-muenchen.de/Members/bunge/download/farallon.ps.gz
BibTeX
@article{id75,
  author = {Bunge, H.-P. and Grand, S.P.},
  journal = { Nature},
  language = {en},
  pages = {337 - 340},
  title = {Mesozoic plate-motion history below the northeast Pacific Ocean from seismic images of the subducted Farallon slab},
  url = {http://www.geophysik.uni-muenchen.de/Members/bunge/download/farallon.pdf
http://www.geophysik.uni-muenchen.de/Members/bunge/download/farallon.ps.gz},
  volume = {405},
  year = {2000},
}
EndNote
%O Journal Article
%A Bunge, H.-P.
%A Grand, S.P.
%J  Nature
%G en
%P 337 - 340
%T Mesozoic plate-motion history below the northeast Pacific Ocean from seismic images of the subducted Farallon slab
%U http://www.geophysik.uni-muenchen.de/Members/bunge/download/farallon.pdf
http://www.geophysik.uni-muenchen.de/Members/bunge/download/farallon.ps.gz
%V 405
%D 2000