Pervasive detachment faults within the slow spreading oceanic crust at the poorly coupled Antilles subduction zone

Type Article
Date 2021-09
Language English
Author(s) Marcaillou BorisORCID1, Klingelhoefer FraukeORCID2, Laurencin MurielORCID3, Lebrun Jean-Frédéric4, Laigle MireilleORCID1, Lallemand Serge5, Schenini Laure1, Gay Aurelien5, Boucard MiltonORCID4, Ezenwaka Kingsley1, Graindorge David6
Affiliation(s) 1 : Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, IRD, Géoazur, Valbonne, France
2 : IFREMER, Dpt. of Marine Geosciences, Plouzané, France
3 : Université de Lille, CNRS, Univ. Littoral Côte d’Opale, UMR 8187, LOG, Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences, Lille, France
4 : Géosciences Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Université des Antilles, Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe, (FWI)
5 : Geosciences Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Université des Antilles, Montpellier, France
6 : Geosciences Océan, UMR 6538, Université Bretagne Occidentale, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Plouzané, France
Source Communications Earth & Environment (2662-4435) (Springer Science and Business Media LLC), 2021-09 , Vol. 2 , N. 1 , P. 203 (7p.)
DOI 10.1038/s43247-021-00269-6
WOS© Times Cited 6
Abstract

Oceanic crust formed at slow-spreading ridges is currently subducted in only a few places on Earth and the tectonic and seismogenic imprint of the slow-spreading process is poorly understood. Here we present seismic and bathymetric data from the Northeastern Lesser Antilles Subduction Zone where thick sediments enable seismic imaging to greater depths than in the ocean basins. This dataset highlights a pervasive tectonic fabric characterized by closely spaced sequences of convex-up Ridgeward-Dipping Reflectors, which extend down to about 15 km depth with a 15-to-40° angle. We interpret these reflectors as discrete shear planes formed during the early stages of exhumation of magma-poor mantle rocks at an inside corner of a Mid-Atlantic Ridge fracture zone. Closer to the trench, plate bending could have reactivated this tectonic fabric and enabled deep fluid circulation and serpentinization of the basement rocks. This weak serpentinized basement likely explains the very low interplate seismic activity associated with the Barbuda-Anegada margin segment above.

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Marcaillou Boris, Klingelhoefer Frauke, Laurencin Muriel, Lebrun Jean-Frédéric, Laigle Mireille, Lallemand Serge, Schenini Laure, Gay Aurelien, Boucard Milton, Ezenwaka Kingsley, Graindorge David (2021). Pervasive detachment faults within the slow spreading oceanic crust at the poorly coupled Antilles subduction zone. Communications Earth & Environment, 2(1), 203 (7p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-021-00269-6 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00725/83711/