What drives backarc extension

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What drives back-arc extension

• Tijmen van Wettum
• 0217204

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Overview

• Introduction
• Back-Arc extension in the Mediterranean
• Global back-arc dynamics
• Summary

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Back-Arc Extension
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Back-Arc Extension
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Back-Arc Extension

• What drives Back-Arc Extension?

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Central Mediterranean
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Central Mediterranean
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Central Mediterranean

• 1996 Faccenna et al. Published experiment
  Simulation of lithospheric deformation.
• Focus on Mediterranean dynamics.
• Experiment with sand, silicone putty and glucose
  syrup.

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Central Mediterranean

• Conclusions
• Subduction and back-arc spreading where observed
• Slab pull important, but only after a large
  amount of subduction

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Global back-arc dynamics

• 3 Different mechanisms

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Global back-arc dynamics
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Global back-arc dynamics

• Discussion and conclusions
• Speed upper plate best predictor of back-arc
  deformation style.
• No Spontaneous rollback due to slab pull
• Mantle flow is suggested to explain the results

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Summary

• Back-Arc extension in the Mediterranean (1995
  2001)
• -Slab pull main driving force for back-arc
  spreading.
• Global back-arc dynamics (2004)
• - Upper plate motion dominant control over
  back-arc dynamics.

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References

• History of Subduction and back-arc extension in
  the Central Mediterranean, Faccenna at al., 2001
• The dynamics of back-arc extension an
  experimental approach to the opening of the
  Tyrrhenian Sea, Faccenna at al., 1996
• Plate motions, slab dynamics and back-arc
  deformation, Heuret et al., 2005