TY  - JOUR
A1  - Baes, Marzieh
A1  - Sobolev, Stephan Vladimir
A1  - Quinteros, Javier
T1  - Subduction initiation in mid-ocean induced by mantle suction flow
JF  - Geophysical journal international
N2  - Pre-existing weakness zones in the lithosphere such as transform faults/fracture zones and extinct mid-oceanic ridges have been suggested to facilitate subduction initiation in an intra-oceanic environment. Here, we propose that the additional forcing coming from the mantle suction flow is required to trigger the conversion of a fracture zone/transform fault into a converging plate boundary. This suction flow can be induced either from the slab remnants of former converging plate boundaries or/and from slabs of neighbouring active subduction zones. Using 2-D coupled thermo-mechanical models, we show that a sufficiently strong mantle flow is able to convert a fracture zone/transform fault into a subduction zone. However, this process is feasible only if the fracture zone/transform fault is very close to the mid-oceanic ridge. Our numerical model results indicate that time of subduction initiation depends on the velocity, domain size and location of mantle suction flow and age of the oceanic plate.
KW  - Numerical modelling
KW  - Subduction zone processes
KW  - oceanic transform and fracture zone processes
Y1  - 2018
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggy335
SN  - 0956-540X
SN  - 1365-246X
VL  - 215
IS  - 3
SP  - 1515
EP  - 1522
PB  - Oxford Univ. Press
CY  - Oxford
ER  -