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Rift migration explains continental margin asymmetry and crustal hyper-extension
Sascha Brune1, Christian Heine2, Marta Pérez-Gussinyé3
11] Geodynamic Modelling Section, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany [2] EarthByte Group, School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
Nature Communications
|June 7, 2014
Summary
Continental rifting creates hyper-extended crust and asymmetric margins through rift migration. This process involves sequential faulting and lower crustal flow, transferring material between margins.
Area of Science:
- Geodynamics
- Tectonics
- Continental Rifting
Background:
- Continental break-up forms oceanic basins through lithospheric thinning.
- Hyper-extended continental crust and asymmetric conjugate margins are poorly understood features of this process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanisms driving hyper-extended crust formation and margin asymmetry during continental break-up.
- To explain the development of pronounced asymmetry in conjugate rifted margins.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution thermo-mechanical modeling of continental rifting.
- Analysis of rift migration dynamics, including upper crustal faulting and lower crustal flow.
- Constraining models with South Atlantic plate reconstructions.
Main Results:
- Steady-state rift migration is identified as the primary mechanism for hyper-extended crust and margin asymmetry.
- Rift migration occurs via sequential, oceanward-younging upper crustal faults, balanced by lower crustal flow.
- Increased extension velocities correlate with greater margin width and asymmetry, as observed in the South Atlantic.
Conclusions:
- Rift migration, not just pure stretching, governs hyper-extended margin formation.
- Significant material transfer occurs from one margin to its conjugate during rift migration.
- This model challenges traditional views of rifted margin evolution and explains observed asymmetries.
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