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Subduction
Back-arc Basins
Agegrid
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SW Pacific
Philippine Sea

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EarthByte
University of Sydney
Seismo Lab, Caltech


Subduction


Below is a list of subduction related projects I am involved in. If you would like information on the ARC subduction process modelling project, then click here for all the information.

Kinematic Subduction Zone Parameters

    I recently published a paper on kinematic subduction zone parameters in GCubed click here to download paper and click here to download images and data of the results.

    In this study, we computed, for the first time, both present day and palaeo subduction and back-arc basin parameters in concert. Previous analysis of subduction and back-arc basin parameters were confined to observational data from the present day, many of which were outdated and known to be inaccurate. We created a set of palaeo-oceanic age grids based on Gaina and Müller [2004] and Müller et al. [2005] which shows the age distribution of the seafloor through time and hence the age of the subducting lithosphere at each subduction zone. The convergence rate and direction along all subduction boundaries through time were computed as well as the absolute motion of the over-riding plate, including the back-arc basin plate (both the normal and parallel component). Using these back-arc and subduction zone parameters, we also calculated the rollback speed of the subduction hinge at each subduction zone.

Linking Kinematics and Subduction Modelling

    The linking of kinemtaic constraints to subduction modelling is one of the. The integration of our kinematic and age data with 3D spherical geodyanmic modelling has primarily been conducted at Caltech where Prof. Mike Gurnis and his group have made significant progress. Click here to go to the geodynamics group at Caltech.

Relationship Between Age and Dip of Slab

    One of the results of the GCubed paper on subduction and back-arc basin parameters was that we were able to establish a link between the age of the subducting oceanic lithosphere and the intermediate dip of the slab. Our results are of particular interest when compared to the results of Lallemand et al. [2006] and Cruciani et al. [2006].

    Click here to see our age-dip correlation and that of Cruciani et al. [2006].

Ridge Subduction and Slab Windows

    We are currently involved in a project related to ridge subduction and the formation of slab windows, in particular examining the development of magmatism on the over-riding plate, crustal thinning, denudation/uplift patterns, the state of stress and ore-deposit formation. Our palaeo-agegrids map the location of both active and inactive spreading ridges relative to subduction zones through time and also the location and shape of slab windows.

    The Java-Sunda subduction system has been influenced by the subduction of the Wharton Basin spreading ridge and its precursor since the late Mesozoic. We have been involved in a project, headed by Jo Whittaker (PhD student at USyd) studying the effect of this ridge subduction and slab window formation on the state of stress of the overriding plate.

    We next plan on examining the effect on magmatism and ore deposit formation along the Andes subduction system where there has been a long history of aseismic ridge subduction through time.