FN Archimer Export Format
PT J
TI Buoyancy and localizing properties of continental mantle lithosphere: Insights from thermomechanical models of the eastern Gulf of Aden
BT 
AF WATREMEZ, L.
   BUROV, E.
   D'ACREMONT, E.
   LEROY, Sylvie
   HUET, B.
   LEPOURHIET, L.
   BELLAHSEN, N.
AS 1:1,2,3;2:2,3;3:2,3;4:2,3;5:4;6:2,3;7:2,3;
FF 1:;2:;3:;4:;5:;6:;7:;
C1 Dalhousie Univ, Dept Oceanog, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
   Univ Paris 06, ISTeP, UMR 7193, Paris, France.
   CNRS, ISTeP, UMR 7193, Paris, France.
   Univ Vienna, Dept Geodynam & Sedimentol, Vienna, Austria.
C2 UNIV DALHOUSIE, CANADA
   UNIV PARIS 06, FRANCE
   CNRS, FRANCE
   UNIV VIENNA, AUSTRIA
IF 3.054
TC 25
TU Centre national de la recherche scientifique
   Université Pierre et Marie Curie
   Université de Cergy-Pontoise
UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00199/31070/29483.pdf
LA English
DT Article
CR ENCENS
   ENCENS-FLUX
BO L'Atalante
   Le Suroît
DE ;thermomechanical modeling;rifting;ocean-continent transition;plasticity;lithosphere buoyancy;Gulf of Aden
AB Physical properties of the mantle lithosphere have a strong influence on the rifting processes and rifted structures. In particular, in context of rifting, two of these properties have been overlooked: (1) Mohr-Coulomb plasticity (localizing pressure dependent) may not be valid at mantle depths as opposed to nonlocalizing pressure-independent plasticity (hereafter, perfect plasticity), and (2) lithosphere buoyancy can vary, depending on the petrological composition of the mantle. Focussing on the Arabian plate, we show that the lithosphere may be negatively buoyant. We use thermomechanical modeling to investigate the importance of mantle rheology and composition on the formation of a passive margin, ocean-continent transition (OCT) and oceanic basin. We compare the results of this parametric study to observations in the eastern Gulf of Aden (heat flow, refraction seismics and topography) and show that (1) mantle lithosphere rheology controls the margin geometry and timing of the rifting; (2) lithosphere buoyancy has a large impact on the seafloor depth and the timing of partial melting; and (3) a perfectly plastic mantle lithosphere 20 kg m(-3) denser than the asthenosphere best fits with observed elevation in the Gulf of Aden. Finally, thermomechanical models suggest that partial melting can occur in the mantle during the Arabian crustal breakup. We postulate that the produced melt could then infiltrate through the remnant continental mantle lithosphere, reach the surface and generate oceanic crust. This is in agreement with the observed narrow OCT composed of exhumed continental mantle intruded by volcanic rocks in the eastern Gulf of Aden.
PY 2013
PD AUG
SO Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems
SN 1525-2027
PU Amer Geophysical Union
VL 14
IS 8
UT 000326242700014
BP 2800
EP 2817
DI 10.1002/ggge.20179
ID 31070
ER

EF