Abstract
In the Tonga subduction zone, a systematic shear deformation, in which deep material moves relatively to the south, is superimposed on the mode of down-dip shortening which is characteristic of the region. We interpret this observation, together with a tectonic reconstruction, in terms of the interaction between the subducting lithospheric slab and a horizontal shear flow in the mantle.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chase, C. G. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 82, 3087–3110 (1971).
Gill, J. B. & Gorton, M. in The Western Pacific Islands Areas, Marginal Areas (ed. Coleman, P.) 543–566 (University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands, 1973).
Coleman, P. J. & Packham, G. H. Earth-Sci Rev. 12, 197–233 (1976).
Falvey, D. A. Bull. Aust. Soc. Explor. Geophys. 9, 117–123 (1978).
Dubois, J., Dupont, J. & Recy, J. Trav. Doc. Off. Rech. Scient. Techn. Outre-Mer 147, 567–588 (1982).
Gill, J. B., Stork, A. L. & Whelan, P. M. Tectonophysics 102, 207–224 (1984).
Brocher, T. M. in Geological Investigations of the Northern Melanesian Borderland (ed. Brocher, T. M.) (Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources Earth Science Series, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa, Oklahoma (in the press).
Karig, D. E. J. geophys. Res. 75, 239–254 (1970).
Sclater, J. G., Hawkins, J. W., Mammerickx, J. & Chase, C. G. Bull geol. Soc. Am. 83, 505–518 (1972).
Lawver, L. A., Hawkins, J. W. & Sclater, J. G. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 33, 27–35 (1976).
Weissel, J. K. in Island Arcs, Deep Sea Trenches and Back-Arc Basins (eds Talwani, M. & Pitman, W. C., III) 429–436 (American Geophysics Union, Washington, DC, 1977).
Hawkins, J. W. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 28, 283–297 (1976).
Hager, B. H. & O'Connell, R. J. Tectonophysics 50, 111–133 (1978).
Hager, B. H., O'Connell, R. J. & Raefsky, A. Tectonophysics 99, 165–189 (1983).
Larson, R. L. & Chase, C. G. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 83, 3627–3644 (1972).
Louat, R. & Dupont, J. Trav. Docum. Off. Rech. Scient. Techn. Outre-Mer 147, 299–318 (1982).
Billington, S. thesis, Cornell Univ. (1980).
Vogt, P. R., Lowrie, A., Bracey, D. R. & Hey, R. N. Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Pap. 172 (1976).
Giardini, D. & Woodhouse, J. H. Nature 307, 505–509 (1984).
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Science Plan (1984)
Dziewonski, A. M., Chou, T. A. & Woodhouse, J. H. J. geophys. Res. 86, 2825–2852 (1981).
Dziewonski, A. M. & Woodhouse, J. H. J. geophys. Res. 88, 3247–3271 (1983).
Dziewonski, A. M., Friedman, A., Giardini, D & Woodhouse, J. H. Phys. Earth & planet. Interiors 33, 76–90 (1983).
Dziewonski, A. M., Friedman, A. & Woodhouse, J. H. Phys. Earth & planet. Interiors 33, 71–75; 243–249 (1983).
Dziewonski, A. M., Franzen, J. E. & Woodhouse, J. H. Phys. Earth & planet. Interiors 34, 1–8; 129–136; 209–219 (1984).
Dziewonski, A. M., Franzen, J. E. & Woodhouse, J. H. Phys. Earth & planet. Interiors 37, 87–96; 38, 203–213 (1985).
Giardini, D. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 77, 883–914 (1984).
Circum Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources, Plate Tectonic Map of the Circum-Pacific Region (1982)
Isacks, B. & Molnar, P. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 9, 103–174 (1971).
Kelleher, J. & McCahn, W. J. geophys. Res. 81, 4885–4896 (1976).
Isacks, B. L. & Barazangi, M. in Island Arcs, Deep Sea Trenches and Back-Arc Basins (eds Talwani, M & Pitman, W. C., III) 99–114 (American Geophysics Union, Washington DC, 1977).
Eguchi, T. Tectonophysics 102, 17–32 1984.
Minster, J. B. & Jordan, T. H. J. geophys. Res. 83, 5331–5353 (1978).
Weissel, J. K. & Hayes, D. E. in Antarctic Oceanology II: The Australian-New Zealand Sector, Antarctic Res Ser. Vol 19 (ed. Hayes, D. E.) 165–196 (American Geophysics Union, Washington DC, 1972).
Weisel, J. K. & Hayes, D. E. J. geophys. Res. 79, 2579–2587 (1974).
Molnar, P., Atwater, T., Mammerickx, J. & Smith, S. M. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 40, 383–420 (1975).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Giardini, D., Woodhouse, J. Horizontal shear flow in the mantle beneath the Tonga arc. Nature 319, 551–555 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/319551a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/319551a0
This article is cited by
-
Hafnium isotope constraints on the nature of the mantle beneath the Southern Lau basin (SW Pacific)
Scientific Reports (2020)
-
Puzzling features of western Mediterranean tectonics explained by slab dragging
Nature Geoscience (2018)
-
Small-scale coexistence of island-arc- and enriched-MORB-type basalts in the central Vanuatu arc
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (2013)
-
Deformation of a weak subducted slab and variation of seismicity with depth
Nature (1993)
-
Global mapping of topography on the 660-km discontinuity
Nature (1992)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
