Seismological evidence for a fossil subduction zone in the East Greenland Caledonides

Christian Schiffer, Niels Balling, Bo H. Jacobsen, Randell A. Stephenson, Soren B. Nielsen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

47 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The postorogenic collapse of the early Paleozoic Caledonian orogeny is well documented; however, several different plate tectonic models exist for the convergent phase involving closure of the Iapetus Ocean and the collision of Laurentia and Baltica. Receiver function analysis of 11 broadband seismometers along a 270 km transect in the East Greenland Caledonides reveals the existence of an east-dipping high velocity slab. Numerical modeling demonstrates that relict subducted and eclogitized crust is a plausible explanation. Thus, eastward subduction preceded subsequent west-dipping subduction during the formation of the East Greenland and Scandinavian Caledonides. This is a key constraint for understanding the Caledonian and continental margin evolution in the North Atlantic realm.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)311-314
Number of pages4
JournalGeology
Volume42
Issue number4
Early online date10 Feb 2014
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2014

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