ProjectConstraining the near-surface response to lithospheric reorientation: Structural thermochronology along AlpArray…
Basic data
Title:
Constraining the near-surface response to lithospheric reorientation: Structural thermochronology along AlpArray geophysical transects
Duration:
01/09/2017 to 31/12/2020
Abstract / short description:
This proposal outlines a project to quantify the near-surface response of Central and Eastern Alps exhumation to hypothesized changes in lithosphere processes, such as a slab breakoff or a switch in subduction polarity, with an innovative combined analytical-modelling approach. This project follows the aims of the SPP 4D-MB by reconstructing the 4D evolution of the Alps with a combination of thermochronological dating, measurement of balanced cross sections and thermal-kinematic modelling. This multidisciplinary approach will resolve a ~30 Ma kinematic history of the Alps since at kilometre/million year scales to predict orogen-wide shortening rates and average slip velocities of primary tectonic structures (RT1-Reorg. of Lithosphere of the SPP 4D-MB) – important context for complimentary studies focusing on the present-day surface motion and seismicity (RT-4-Motion patterns and Seismicity of the SPP 4D-MB). Most importantly, the full consideration of the kinematic history and large spatial scale of our project facilitates the discrimination of near-surface exhumation rates from the influence of deep crustal processes (RT2-Surface Response of the SPP 4D-MB).
We propose to date 60 new samples collected along geologic-geophysical transects through the Central and Eastern Alps (NFP-20E, TRANSALP, EASI) with apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He and apatite fission track methods. This sampling strategy (i) covers the area in which a switch in subduction polarity is hypothesized to have occurred and (ii) overlaps with activity fields AF-A (DSEBRA), AF-C (SWAATH C) and AF-D (SWAATH D) of the SPP 4D-MB, ensuring that our project compliments the refined geophysical and geodynamic measurements from AlpArray. We will invert cooling ages with a coupled PECUBE-2DMove thermal-kinematic modelling approach maintaining the predicted structural context of available and newly constructed balanced cross sections along transects lines. Velocity fields extracted from 2Dmove will be subsequently incorporated into a thermal-kinematic model (PECUBE) and inverted to constrain the most likely combination of structural displacements and deep lithosphere induced long-wavelength rock uplift discernable from the composite thermochronological dataset. Our proposed project will therefore significantly contribute to get a better understanding of the 4D evolution of the Alps.
We propose to date 60 new samples collected along geologic-geophysical transects through the Central and Eastern Alps (NFP-20E, TRANSALP, EASI) with apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He and apatite fission track methods. This sampling strategy (i) covers the area in which a switch in subduction polarity is hypothesized to have occurred and (ii) overlaps with activity fields AF-A (DSEBRA), AF-C (SWAATH C) and AF-D (SWAATH D) of the SPP 4D-MB, ensuring that our project compliments the refined geophysical and geodynamic measurements from AlpArray. We will invert cooling ages with a coupled PECUBE-2DMove thermal-kinematic modelling approach maintaining the predicted structural context of available and newly constructed balanced cross sections along transects lines. Velocity fields extracted from 2Dmove will be subsequently incorporated into a thermal-kinematic model (PECUBE) and inverted to constrain the most likely combination of structural displacements and deep lithosphere induced long-wavelength rock uplift discernable from the composite thermochronological dataset. Our proposed project will therefore significantly contribute to get a better understanding of the 4D evolution of the Alps.
Keywords:
tectonics
Tektonik
numerical modeling
numerische Modellierung
Alps
Alpen
thermochronology
Thermochronologie
Involved staff
Managers
Mineralogy and Geodynamics Research Area
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Ehlers, Todd
Mineralogy and Geodynamics Research Area
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Contact persons
Department of Geoscience
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Science
Department of Geoscience
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Science
Mineralogy and Geodynamics Research Area
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Center for Applied Geoscience
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Mineralogy and Geodynamics Research Area
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Ehlers, Todd
Mineralogy and Geodynamics Research Area
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Faculty of Science
University of Tübingen
University of Tübingen
Mineralogy and Geodynamics Research Area
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Mineralogy and Geodynamics Research Area
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science
Local organizational units
Department of Geoscience
Faculty of Science
University of Tübingen
University of Tübingen
Funders
Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany