Bending-related faulting and mantle serpentinization at the Middle America Trench.

Ranero, César R., Morgan, Jason Phipps, McIntosh, K. and Reichert, C. (2003) Bending-related faulting and mantle serpentinization at the Middle America Trench. Nature, 425 (6956). pp. 367-373. DOI 10.1038/nature01961.

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Abstract

The dehydration of subducting oceanic crust and upper mantle has been inferred both to promote the partial melting leading to arc magmatism and to induce intraslab intermediate-depth earthquakes, at depths of 50–300 km. Yet there is still no consensus about how slab hydration occurs or where and how much chemically bound water is stored within the crust and mantle of the incoming plate. Here we document that bending-related faulting of the incoming plate at the Middle America trench creates a pervasive tectonic fabric that cuts across the crust, penetrating deep into the mantle. Faulting is active across the entire ocean trench slope, promoting hydration of the cold crust and upper mantle surrounding these deep active faults. The along-strike length and depth of penetration of these faults are also similar to the dimensions of the rupture area of intermediate-depth earthquakes.

Document Type: Article
Keywords: Middle America Trench, faulting, mantle serpentinization, R/V Sonne, R/V Meteor, R/V M. Ewing cruises 0005 and 0104, BGR99 cruise, M/V Professor Polshkov
Research affiliation: OceanRep > SFB 574 > A1
OceanRep > SFB 574 > C5
OceanRep > SFB 574
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB4 Dynamics of the Ocean Floor > FB4-GDY Marine Geodynamics
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Projects: SFB574
Contribution Number:
Project
Number
SFB 574
34
Expeditions/Models/Experiments:
Date Deposited: 07 Apr 2010 11:50
Last Modified: 26 Sep 2023 15:33
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/5155

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