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Tag: Subduction dynamics

Subduction dynamics are explained in this collection of accurate, accessible science graphics, designed to make understanding how tectonic plates sink into the mantle clear and engaging. These visuals illustrate slab motion, mantle flow, trench migration, and the forces driving earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building. Perfect for educators, students, and geoscience enthusiasts, this subduction dynamics graphic collection turns complex geodynamic processes into visually rich, easy-to-grasp resources for teaching and learning about Earth’s evolving plate boundaries.

Slab tearing (sketch)

Sketch of laterally progressing slab detachment and resulting inflow of asthenospheric material into the opening gap.

Sketch of laterally progressing slab detachment. The concentration of slab pull forces towards a narrowing part of the subducted plate (slab) produces a characteristic pattern of surface-plate subsidence and uplift migrating along strike, and increases trench retreat and inflow of asthenospheric material into the gap resulting from the slab detachment.

  • Creator: Fabio Crameri
  • This version: 21.10.2022
  • License: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Specific citation: This graphic by Fabio Crameri adopted from Wortel and Spakman (2000) is available via the open-access s-Ink.org repository.
  • Related reference: Wortel, M. J. R., & Spakman, W. (2000). Subduction and slab detachment in the Mediterranean-Carpathian region. Science, 290(5498), 1910-1917.
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Puysegur trench formation

A schematic highlighting the formation of the Puysegur trench, New Zealand, where subduction zone initiation may be both horizontally and then vertically driven, according to a 4D evolution model of this margin.

A schematic highlighting the formation of the Puysegur trench, New Zealand, where subduction zone initiation may be both horizontally and then vertically driven, according to a 4D evolution model of this margin. Its gradual evolution from north to south represents a pseudo-temporal sequence of a forming subduction zone, which naturally spans a few millions of years. In the northern segment, where subduction nucleated, horizontal forces may have dominated, representative of the early stages of subduction initiation. With time, vertical forces took over, propagating along the evolving megathrust and helping to finally form a self-sustaining subduction zone.

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Subduction zone initiation types

Illustration of the three types of subduction zone initiation (SZI) events, namely Newly destructive, Episodic subduction, and Polarity reversal.

Illustration of the three types of subduction zone initiation (SZI) events. As outlined in Crameri et al. (2020), the SZI type is either Newly destructive (a subduction fault establishing from an intact-plate portion or some sort of non-subduction-related plate weakness), Episodic subduction (a subduction fault establishing at the same location following a previous, yet terminated subduction zone with the same polarity), or Polarity reversal (formation of a new subduction fault with opposite polarity to the fault of the pre-existing, terminating subduction zone).

  • Creator: Fabio Crameri
  • This version: 24.10.2021
  • License: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Specific citation: This graphic by Fabio Crameri from Crameri et al. (2020) is available via the open-access s-Ink repository.
  • Related reference: Crameri, F., V. Magni, M. Domeier, G.E. Shephard, K. Chotalia, G. Cooper, C. Eakin, A.G. Grima, D. Gürer, A. Király, E. Mulyukova, K. Peters, B. Robert, and M. Thielmann (2020), A transdisciplinary and community-driven database to unravel subduction zone initiation, Nature Communications, 11, 3750. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17522-9
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Subduction initiation forcing

The illustration depicts two endmember states in subduction zone initiation: vertically-forced and horizontally-forced subduction initiation.

Illustration of the two endmember states forcing a new subduction zone. The two endmember forcing states characterising subduction zone initiation (SZI) can be described as either vertically-forced or horizontally-forced. As outlined in Crameri et al. (2020), the dominant forcing is either—but never exclusively—vertical (i.e., some combination of plate buoyancy force, the force from any surface load, and vertical mantle-flow force), or horizontal (i.e., some combination of tectonic force and horizontal mantle-flow force).

  • Creator: Fabio Crameri
  • This version: 24.10.2021
  • License: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Specific citation: This graphic by Fabio Crameri from Crameri et al. (2020) is available via the open-access s-Ink repository.
  • Related reference: Crameri, F., V. Magni, M. Domeier, G.E. Shephard, K. Chotalia, G. Cooper, C. Eakin, A.G. Grima, D. Gürer, A. Király, E. Mulyukova, K. Peters, B. Robert, and M. Thielmann (2020), A transdisciplinary and community-driven database to unravel subduction zone initiation, Nature Communications, 11, 3750. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17522-9
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Slab-gap dynamics

Sketch of an evolution of an opening and sinking slab gap during oceanic subduction and the resulting surrounding mantle flow.

Evolution of an opening and sinking slab gap during oceanic subduction. This conclusive image is based on analog models of subduction, where the slab surface was monitored by 3-D scanning and the mantle flow was imaged using PIV technique. The opening slab gap allows mantle to flow from the sub-slab area to the mantle wedge area. However, this flow might only have an effect on the surface when the slab gap is near-surface and has a significant vertical extent.

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Slab retreat dynamics

Three different ways to allow for fast subduction trench retreat.

Sketch of three different ways to allow for fast subduction trench retreat that are flattening of the slab from side view (top left), curvature of the slab from top view for narrow (top centre) and wide subduction zones (bottom), and partial slab damage (i.e., slab window) from side view (top right). Shown are initial (grey) and end position (black) of the plate and corresponding mantle flow (blue) that displaces mantle material from its initial region (orange) to its final region (green).

  • Creator: Fabio Crameri
  • This version: 12.09.2021
  • License: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Specific citation: This graphic by Fabio Crameri from Crameri and Tackley (2014) is available via the open-access s-Ink repository.
  • Related reference: Crameri, F., and P.J. Tackley (2014), Spontaneous development of arcuate single-sided subduction in global 3-D mantle convection models with a free surface, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 119(7), 5921-5942, doi:10.1002/2014JB010939
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Subduction seismic anisotropy

Illustration of constraints on subduction zone seismic anisotropy from a global compilation of shear-wave splitting measurements.

Illustration of constraints on subduction zone seismic anisotropy from shear-wave splitting measurements from the compilation presented in Long (2013). The subduction trenches compiled by Bird (2003) are shown in black. The anisotropic signals of the wedge (orange) and back-slab regions (blue) are shown separately. Blue arrows indicate average fast directions for the back-slab splitting signal from SKS (seismic waves traveling through the Outer Core), local S, and source-side tele-seismic S-splitting measurements (Long and Silver, 2009; Paczkowski, 2012). Orange arrows indicate average fast directions for wedge anisotropy from local S splitting (Long and Wirth, 2013). In regions where multiple fast directions are shown, splitting patterns exhibit a mix of trench-parallel, trench-perpendicular, and oblique fast directions.

  • Creator: Fabio Crameri
  • This version: 01.09.2021
  • License: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Specific citation: This graphic by Fabio Crameri after Crameri and Tackley (2014) and Long (2013) is available via the open-access s-Ink repository.
  • Related references:
    Crameri, F., and P.J. Tackley (2014), Spontaneous development of arcuate single-sided subduction in global 3-D mantle convection models with a free surface, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 119(7), 5921-5942, doi:10.1002/2014JB010939
    Long, M. D. (2013), Constraints on subduction geodynamics from seismic anisotropy, Rev. Geophys., 51, 76–112, doi:10.1002/rog.20008
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SZI geologic evidence

Schematic illustration of the emplacement of subduction zone initiation (SZI)-typical rock evidence during SZI, and a typical SZI ophiolite sequence.

Schematic illustration of the emplacement of subduction zone initiation (SZI)-typical rock evidence during SZI, and a typical SZI ophiolite sequence. Note that this is a text-book example (according to e.g., the Izu-Bonin-Mariana SZI) and that pre-existing structures (e.g., a pre-existing volcanic arc) or variable SZI dynamics (e.g., horizontal compression) could inhibit various stages and therefore their typical rock signatures.

  • Creator: Fabio Crameri
  • This version: 18.08.2021
  • License: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Specific citation: This graphic by Fabio Crameri from Crameri et al. (2020) is available via the open-access s-Ink repository.
  • Related reference: Crameri, F., V. Magni, M. Domeier, G.E. Shephard, K. Chotalia, G. Cooper, C. Eakin, A.G. Grima, D. Gürer, A. Király, E. Mulyukova, K. Peters, B. Robert, and M. Thielmann (2020), A transdisciplinary and community-driven database to unravel subduction zone initiation, Nature Communications, 11, 3750. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17522-9
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