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South-American plate advance and forced Andean trench retreat as drivers for transient flat subduction episodes

Author

Listed:
  • Gerben Schepers

    (Utrecht University)

  • Douwe J. J. van Hinsbergen

    (Utrecht University)

  • Wim Spakman

    (Utrecht University
    Center for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED), University of Oslo)

  • Martha E. Kosters

    (Utrecht University)

  • Lydian M. Boschman

    (Utrecht University)

  • Nadine McQuarrie

    (Geology and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh)

Abstract

At two trench segments below the Andes, the Nazca Plate is subducting sub-horizontally over ∼200–300 km, thought to result from a combination of buoyant oceanic-plateau subduction and hydrodynamic mantle-wedge suction. Whether the actual conditions for both processes to work in concert existed is uncertain. Here we infer from a tectonic reconstruction of the Andes constructed in a mantle reference frame that the Nazca slab has retreated at ∼2 cm per year since ∼50 Ma. In the flat slab portions, no rollback has occurred since their formation at ∼12 Ma, generating ‘horse-shoe’ slab geometries. We propose that, in concert with other drivers, an overpressured sub-slab mantle supporting the weight of the slab in an advancing upper plate-motion setting can locally impede rollback and maintain flat slabs until slab tearing releases the overpressure. Tear subduction re-establishes a continuous slab and allows the process to recur, providing a mechanism for the transient character of flat slabs.

Suggested Citation

  • Gerben Schepers & Douwe J. J. van Hinsbergen & Wim Spakman & Martha E. Kosters & Lydian M. Boschman & Nadine McQuarrie, 2017. "South-American plate advance and forced Andean trench retreat as drivers for transient flat subduction episodes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15249
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15249
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