IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-43804-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Vertical tearing of subducting plates controlled by geometry and rheology of oceanic plates

Author

Listed:
  • Yaguang Chen

    (Zhejiang University
    Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zürich)

  • Hanlin Chen

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Mingqi Liu

    (Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zürich)

  • Taras Gerya

    (Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zürich)

Abstract

Lateral non-uniform subduction is impacted by continuous plate segmentation owing to vertical tearing of the subducting plate. However, the dynamics and physical controls of vertical tearing remain controversial. Here, we employed 3D numerical models to investigate the effects of trench geometry (offset by a transform boundary) and plate rheology (plate age and the magnitude of brittle/plastic strain weakening) on the evolution of shear stress-controlled vertical tearing within a homogenous subducting oceanic plate. Numerical results suggest that the trench offset geometry could result in self-sustained vertical tearing as a narrow shear zone within the intact subducting oceanic plate, and that this process of tearing could operate throughout the entire subduction process. Further, the critical trench offset length for the maturation of vertical tearing is impacted by plate rheology. Comparison between numerical modelling results and natural observations suggests that vertical tearing attributed to trench offset geometry is broadly developed in modern subduction and collision systems worldwide.

Suggested Citation

  • Yaguang Chen & Hanlin Chen & Mingqi Liu & Taras Gerya, 2023. "Vertical tearing of subducting plates controlled by geometry and rheology of oceanic plates," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-43804-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43804-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43804-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-43804-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Bercovici & Yanick Ricard, 2014. "Plate tectonics, damage and inheritance," Nature, Nature, vol. 508(7497), pages 513-516, April.
    2. T. V. Gerya & D. Bercovici & T. W. Becker, 2021. "Dynamic slab segmentation due to brittle–ductile damage in the outer rise," Nature, Nature, vol. 599(7884), pages 245-250, November.
    3. T. V. Gerya & R. J. Stern & M. Baes & S. V. Sobolev & S. A. Whattam, 2015. "Plate tectonics on the Earth triggered by plume-induced subduction initiation," Nature, Nature, vol. 527(7577), pages 221-225, November.
    4. Ken-ichi Hirauchi & Kumi Fukushima & Masanori Kido & Jun Muto & Atsushi Okamoto, 2016. "Reaction-induced rheological weakening enables oceanic plate subduction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, November.
    5. Berend A. Verberne & Jianye Chen & André R. Niemeijer & Johannes H. P. Bresser & Gillian M. Pennock & Martyn R. Drury & Christopher J. Spiers, 2017. "Microscale cavitation as a mechanism for nucleating earthquakes at the base of the seismogenic zone," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. G. M. Yogodzinski & J. M. Lees & T. G. Churikova & F. Dorendorf & G. Wöerner & O. N. Volynets, 2001. "Geochemical evidence for the melting of subducting oceanic lithosphere at plate edges," Nature, Nature, vol. 409(6819), pages 500-504, January.
    7. Vlad C. Manea & William P. Leeman & Taras Gerya & Marina Manea & Guizhi Zhu, 2014. "Subduction of fracture zones controls mantle melting and geochemical signature above slabs," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-10, December.
    8. W. P. Schellart & J. Freeman & D. R. Stegman & L. Moresi & D. May, 2007. "Evolution and diversity of subduction zones controlled by slab width," Nature, Nature, vol. 446(7133), pages 308-311, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kuidi Zhang & Jie Liao & Taras Gerya, 2024. "Onset of double subduction controls plate motion reorganisation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Junxing Chen & Hehe Jiang & Ming Tang & Jihua Hao & Meng Tian & Xu Chu, 2022. "Venus’ light slab hinders its development of planetary-scale subduction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Hongyu Sun & Matej Pec, 2021. "Nanometric flow and earthquake instability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Karsten M. Haase & Marcel Regelous & Christoph Beier & Anthony A. P. Koppers, 2024. "Slab steepening and rapid mantle wedge replacement during back-arc rifting in the New Hebrides," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Puetz, Stephen J., 2022. "The infinitely fractal universe paradigm and consupponibility," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    6. Jiashun Hu & Lijun Liu & Michael Gurnis, 2021. "Southward expanding plate coupling due to variation in sediment subduction as a cause of Andean growth," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Xiaoyue Wu & Jiashun Hu & Ling Chen & Liang Liu & Lijun Liu, 2023. "Paleogene India-Eurasia collision constrained by observed plate rotation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    8. Yunchao Shu & Sune G. Nielsen & Veronique Roux & Gerhard Wörner & Jerzy Blusztajn & Maureen Auro, 2022. "Sources of dehydration fluids underneath the Kamchatka arc," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-43804-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.