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Lithosphere THINning During Subduction Initiation

Project description

Landmark research for subduction initiation

When dense oceanic lithosphere founders and sinks beneath oceanic plates, subduction initiation occurs. It is one of the key but least understood processes of the solid Earth’s cycle. The EU-funded THIN project aims to examine the tectonic processes triggered by a nascent subduction zone to fully untangle the complex and still poorly understood process of subduction initiation. The proposed research will, for the first time, review the deformation in the mantle section of one of the best preserved and most complete ophiolites of the world. This will help reveal the mechanism(s) aiding lithosphere thinning during subduction initiation.

Objective

The initial foundering of lithosphere into the upper mantle, known as subduction initiation, is one of the key, most intriguing, and least understood processes of the solid Earth’s cycle. Despite being a relatively ephemeral phenomenon only lasting a few million years, subduction initiation is paramount to understand the driving forces of plate tectonics. The study of subduction initiation processes has mainly focused on supra-subduction zone ophiolites, which are emerged relics of oceanic lithosphere originally formed above a nascent subduction zone. Geological evidence from these ophiolites strongly suggest that subduction initiation causes extreme thinning of the rocks located above the incipient subduction zone; yet, the origin and main features of this process cannot be investigated directly in modern active systems. The main objective of this project is to investigate the tectonic processes triggered by a nascent subduction zone to fully untangle the complex and still poorly understood process of subduction initiation. The proposed research will analyse for the first time the deformation in the mantle section of one of the best preserved and most complete ophiolites of the world (the Semail ophiolite of Oman) to ultimately unveil the mechanism(s) aiding lithosphere thinning during subduction initiation. THIN will use a combination of paleomagnetic, magnetic fabric, structural geological, and geochronological techniques to reconstruct the tectonic rotations in the mantle section of the Oman ophiolite and ultimately produce a four-dimensional (three dimensions over time) model of deformation that will shed key lights on one of the most fundamental geological processes for our planet.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019

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Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 212 933,76
Address
Edgbaston
B15 2TT Birmingham
United Kingdom

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Region
West Midlands (England) West Midlands Birmingham
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 212 933,76
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