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The future of Earth's oceans: consequences of subduction initiation in the Atlantic and implications for supercontinent formation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2016

JOÃO C. DUARTE Open the ORCID record for JOÃO C. DUARTE [Opens in a new window] ,
WOUTER P. SCHELLART  and
FILIPE M. ROSAS
JOÃO C. DUARTE*
Affiliation:
Instituto Dom Luiz, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal Departamento de Geologia, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
WOUTER P. SCHELLART
Affiliation:
School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
FILIPE M. ROSAS
Affiliation:
Instituto Dom Luiz, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal Departamento de Geologia, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
*
†Author for correspondence: [email protected]; [email protected]
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Abstract

Subduction initiation is a cornerstone in the edifice of plate tectonics. It marks the turning point of the Earth's Wilson cycles and ultimately the supercycles as well. In this paper, we explore the consequences of subduction zone invasion in the Atlantic Ocean, following recent discoveries at the SW Iberia margin. We discuss a buoyancy argument based on the premise that old oceanic lithosphere is unstable for supporting large basins, implying that it must be removed in subduction zones. As a consequence, we propose a new conceptual model in which both the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans close simultaneously, leading to the termination of the present Earth's supercycle and to the formation of a new supercontinent, which we name Aurica. Our new conceptual model also provides insights into supercontinent formation and destruction (supercycles) proposed for past geological times (e.g. Pangaea, Rodinia, Columbia, Kenorland).

Keywords

subduction invasionAtlantic OceanWilson cyclesupercyclesupercontinentAurica
Type
Original Articles
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 155 , Issue 1 , January 2018 , pp. 45 - 58
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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