Island Arcs, Deep Sea Trenches and Back-Arc Basins

463 Pages·1977·34.19 MB·English

Island Arcs
Deep Sea Trenches
and
Back-Arc Basins
Maurice Ewing Series 1
ManikTalwani and WalterC. Pitman III, Editors
Contributors
R. N. Anderson L. D. Kulm
M. Barazangi J. W. ladd
P. Bird M. G. Langseth
R. L. Bruhn M.S. Marlow
P. Buhl A. Masias
C. A. Burk W. McCann
J. G.Caldwell D. P. McKenzie
L. Chaqui G. F. Moore
W. Connelly J. C. Moore
A. K. Cooper K. Nakamura
I. W. D. Dalziel D. Ninkovich
F. J. Davey J. R. Ockendon
J. N. Davies A. E. Ringwood
S. E. Delong A. D. Saunders
W. R. Dickinson D. W. Scholl
W. L. Donn W. J. Schweller
E. R. Engdahl D. R. Seely
T. J. Fitch R. H. Sillitoe
P. J. Fox P. L. Stoffa
H. S. Gnibidenko M. Talwani
W. Hamilton J. Tarney
J. W. Hawkins, Jr. S. R. Taylor
W. F. Haxby M. J. Terman
E. M. Herron R.C. Thunell
B. B. Hill M. N. Toksoz
M. Hill D. L. Turcotte
R. E. Houtz S. Uyeda
B. L. Isacks T. Watanabe
K. H.Jacob J. S. Watkins
H. Kanamori A. B. Watts
D. E. Karig S. D. Weaver
R. W. Kay J. K. Weissel
J. Kelleher C. C. Windisch
J. P.Kennett M. Winslow
W. S. F. Kidd J. L. Worzel
Maurice Ewing Series 1
Island Ares
Deep Sea Trenches
and
Back-Are Basins
Edited by
Manik Talwani and
Walter C. Pitman III
~ American Geophysical Union
Washington, D. C.
Island Arcs
Deep Sea Trenches
and Back-Arc Basins
Standard Book Number: 0-87590-400-9
Libraryof Congress Catalog Card Number: 76-58102
2nd Printing 1981
Copyright © 1977 by the American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009
Printed in the United States of America
PREFACE
A three day symposium was held in honor of
the late Maurice Ewing at Arden House, Harriman,
New York on March 28-31, 1976. The symposium is
the first of a planned Maurice Ewing series of
symposiums to be held biennially. The American
Geophysical Union has agreed to publish the
proceedings of the symposiums in a special
Maurice Ewing series. This volume represents
the first of the series.
In planning the symposium we deliberately
chose a subject that engaged Maurice Ewing's
interest and efforts for many years, but one
which still holds promise for much future re
search and exploration. The participants were
researchers active in the study of Island Arcs,
Deep Sea Trenches and Back-Arc Basins. We made
a special effort to invite a number of students
who were interested in the field. This blend
of senior and junior scientists exemplifies the
philosophy of Professor Ewing, who, throughout
his academic life, did extraordinary amounts of
original research and study which constantly in
volved young scientists and students in a wide
area of oceanographic research.
The symposium was supported by the G. Unger
Vetlesen Foundation, the U.S. Office of Naval
Research, the U. S. National Science Foundation,
and the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory
of Columbia University.
Manik Talwani
Walter C. Pitman III
MAURICE EWING
We are here to remember Maurice Ewing who was For forty years Maurice Ewing used his very
a colleague and friend to nearly all of us. He great abilities to build up an organisation for
was a fortunate man; he was born at the right studying the earth. It is not too much to say
time and in the right country. That it was the that he made respectable the study of the two
right time was far from obvious when he took his thirds of the earth's surface that is beneath the
Ph.D. in 1931. The Depression was at its worst sea. When Ewing was young it was eccentric for a
and it certainly did not look a good time to bright young physicist to become a geologist;
embark on a scientific career. However, Ewing bright young men stayed in physics. There were
got started sufficiently early to do very sub the great men of pre-war physics, Rutherford and
stantial original work, including important in the rest of them, whom the young Ewing described
vestigations at sea, before war came. His work as 'hardly mortal;' they were discovering the in
in the 1930's led naturally to important tasks side of the atom; the study of the inside of the
for the Navy and left him, at the end of the war, earth was something of a backwater.
as one of the conspicuously effective members of Ewing was sent to sea by that eccentric genius
the scientific community. The war had given him Dick Field, who, although he did rather little
substantial experience not only of science at original work himself, was one of the most influ
sea, but of how to get things done. ential geologists of this century. He persuaded
I do not know how Maurice first became con (perhaps coerced is the better word) not only
cerned with the earth. He had done his Ph.D. in Ewing but also Harry Hess and myself to embark on
the Physics Department of the Rice Institute in the study of the ocean floor.
Houston and to leave the main line of physics was Ewing's first achievement was to show that
not the obvious thing to do. It was probably the seismic refraction shooting could be done at sea.
chance of summer employment while a student; he I went with him from Woods Hole in the research
did seismic work for three summers in Louisiana, ship ATLANTIS in 1937. He always said that I was
and I think it was this which turned his thoughts sent to check that what he was doing was sound.
to a career in Earth Science. However it hap It was not so; I went to learn and to go and do
pened, it suited his personality. I cannot see likewise. It was my first experience of a small
Maurice spending his life in a laboratory; he oceanographic vessel, it was tremendously stimu
needed a wider field and a closer relation with lating and also great fun. Among many memories,
the outside world. I recall Maurice saying, just as we were going to
Maurice was much more than a good physicist. bed: "You know I think we really need cast TNT
You can be a good physicist if you are interested and not this flaked stuff." I said, ''Yes Maurice,
in physics and have exceptional intelligence, but there aren't any shops and we've only got
ability and application. To do what Maurice did flaked TNT." He replied, "Don't you think, per
needed more, it needed what are now unfashionable haps, we could . . ." He produced an electric
gifts of character. It required a passionate coffee pot, we melted the TNT in it and poured it
belief in the worthwhileness of what he was doing into moulds made of folded paper. In the middle
and also great skill in the techniques of coerc of the operation the skipper of the vessel, Cap
ing bureaucracies and seizing opportunities. He tain McMurray, came in and started to knock out
had the ability to make people feel that what he his pipe on the box of TNT. Ewing looked at him
wanted was not only what he wanted but what the and, after what seemed a long time, said, "You
Good Lord would have done. It was a useful back know Captain McMurray, if I was you I wouldn't
up to this position that everyone realised how knock my pipe out on that there box." McMurray
extremely troublesome he would be if thwarted. continued to knock out his pipe and said "And for
This self confidence combined with the powers of why Dr. Ewing, if you was me, wouldn't you knock
righteous indignation were part of the secret of your pipe out on this box?" I could stand it no
his incredible achievement. longer and said "That box is full of TNT."
McMurray didn't say a word. He just turned round work done at Lamont-Doherty by Maurice and his
and walked out. collaborators.
Ewing was tremendously inventive, and ingeni Finally, I would like to express my own per
ous, he could make anything. His first achieve sonal debt to Maurice as an example and an en
ment was to show that, with relatively small fa couragement all through my career. We didn't
cilities, he could build equipment which would meet very often, we were both rather busy and I
work at sea, and that he could do a whole range of knew him well in a funny kind of way. I usually
things that no-one had thought of doing before. knew what he would do and what he would say, but
The trouble had been not only the technical dif I didn't spend very many days with him in my whole
ficulty and the lack of physical and engineering life. When we did meet, it was always fun and we
expertise, but also, I think, a feeling on the both enjoyed it. We were much of an age, he was
part of geologists that the floor of the ocean one year older than I, and there was no feeling
was not their business, and even that it was use of constraint between us. Maybe I had an easier
ful to have the oceans unknown. The oceans were relation with him than almost anyone; we were not
a sink into which you could cast your difficul competitors for funds or ships and neither of us
ties. In the literature of the 1920's people as was going to try to get the things the other
sumed anything they liked about the ocean floor, wanted.
it could bob up and down, it could be permanently The great enterprise that Ewing started has
there, it could come and go. There is a famous been fun. We have found the nature and history
Annual Address to the Geological Society of Lon of two thirds of the earth's surface and we have
don, given by J. W. Gregory in 1929, in which he enjoyed ourselves while doing it. To take part
talks about the Geology of the Oceans. The odd in such an adventure is an exceptional good for
thing about this very interesting discussion is tune which does not come in every generation;
that it contains no suggestion that something none of us will ever forget who was the prime
ought to be done about the uncertainties; the mover in it.
whole argument is pure speculation with no clue Now, as a worthy memorial to Maurice, we have
that one might have a programme for investigating this fascinating meeting. I have sat all day
it. This was the jam that Ewing broke. He fit listening to discussions of problems that could
ted means to ends, he knew what he wanted to do, not even have been formulated when Ewing started
he found ways of doing it and persuaded other his work. The only sad thing is that he is not
people to help him. The achievement was indeed here to enjoy it with us.
remarkable: you could number on less than the
fingers of one hand the other institutions that
played any large part in the enterprise.
Ewing's prime interest in life was finding out
about the oceans. The things he found led to the
great synthesis which is now one of the standard
examples of a scientific revolution. It has be
come part of the story of man's understanding of
Nature. I think I can say without giving offence,
that this synthesis was not quite Ewing's field. An Address Given at the Dinner Held in Memory of
He was interested in all the details, in the tech Maurice Ewing on March 29th, 1976
niques and in the gathering of the data. He had in the Low Library of Columbia University
a certain hesitation about its interpretation in
global terms. I always felt a good deal of sym by
pathy with him over this after reading some of
the papers of his competitors. It is quite clear, Sir Edward Bullard
however, that the recent revolution in ideas about Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics,
earth history has been based predominately on the University of California, San Diego
CONTENTS
Preface i
Maurice Ewing iii
Some Basic'Problems in the Trench-Arc-Back Arc System, Seiya Uyeda 1
Subduction in the Indonesian Region, Warren Hamilton 15
Tectono-Stratigraphic Evolution of Subduction-Controlled Sedimentary Assemblages, Willialn R. Dick1'n
son 33
MultifoldSeismic ReflectionRecords from the Northern Venezuela Basinand the North Slope ofthe Muertos
Trench, John W Ladd, J. Lamar Worzel, and Joel S. Watkins 41
The Initiation ofrrrenches: A Finite Amplitude Instability, D. P. McKenzie 57
Lithospheric Instabilities, D. L. Turcotte, W F. Haxby, and J. R. Ockendon 63
Mesozoic Tectonics ofthe Southern Alaska Margin, J. Casey Moore and Willialn Connelly 71
Multi-ChannelSeismic Study inthe VenezuelanBasinand the Cura~aoRidge, M. Talwani, C. C. Windisch, P.
L. Stoffa, P. Buhl, and R. E. Houtz 83
Geometry of Benioff Zones: Lateral Segmentation and Downwards Bending of the Subducted Lithosphere,
Bryan L. Isacks andMuawia Barazangi 99
Bathymetric Highs and Development of Convergent Plate Boundaries, John Kelleher and Willialn
McCann 115
In SituP-Wave Velocities in Deep Earthquake Zones ofthe SW Pacific: Evidence for a Phase Boundary Be-
tween the Upper and Lower Mantle, Thomas J. Fitch 123
HeatFlowinBack-ArcBasinsoftheWesternPacific, T. Watanabe, M. G. Langseth, andR. N Anderson 137
Seismic and Aseismic Slip Along Subduction Zones and Their Tectonic Implications, Hiroo Kanalnori 163
Growth Patterns on the Upper Trench Slope, Daniel E. Karig 175
The Significance of Landward Vergence and Oblique Structural Trends on Trench Inner Slopes, D. R.
Seely 187
Sediment Subduction and Offscraping at Pacific Margins, David W. Scholl, Michael S. Marlow, andAlanK.
Cooper 199
St. George Basin, Bering Sea Shelf: A Collapsed Mesozoic Margin, Michael S. Marlow, David W Scholl, and
Alan K. Cooper 211
Geological Consequences ofRidge Subduction, Stephen E. DeLong and PaulJ. Fox 221
Geochemical Constraints on the Origin ofAleutian Magmas, R. W Kay 229
Trench-VolcanoGapAlongtheAlaska-AleutianArc: Facts,andSpeculationsontheRoleofTerrigenousSedi
ments for Subduction, Klaus H. Jacob, Kazuaki Nakamura, and John N Davies 243
Seismicity and Plate Subduction in the Central Aleutians, E. R. Engdahl 259
Post Miocene Tectonics of the Margin ofSouthern Chile, E. M. Herron, R. Bruhn, M. Winslow, and L. Cha
qui 273
A Preliminary Analysis ofthe Subduction Processes Along the Andean Continental Margin, 6° to 45°S, L. D.
Kuhn, W J. Schweller, and A. Masias 285
MetallogenyofanAndean-TypeContinentalMargininSouthKorea: ImplicationsforOpeningoftheJapanSea,
RichardH. Sillitoe 303
Petrogenesis in Island Arc Systems, A. E. Ringwood 311
Island Arc Models and the Composition ofthe Continental Crust, Stuart Ross Taylor 325
CenozoicExplosiveVolcanismRelatedtoEastandSoutheastAsianArcs, DragoslavNinkovichand WilliamL.
Donn 337
Commentson Cenozoic ExplosiveVolcanismRelated toEastand SoutheastAsian Arcs, James P. Kennett and
Robert C. Thunell 348
Reply, Dragoslav Ninkovich and WilliaJn L. Donn 353
Petrologic and Geochemical Characteristics ofMarginal Basin Basalts, Jeunes W H(uokins, Jr. 355
Geochemistry of Volcanic Rocks from the Island Arcs and Marginal Basins of the Scotia Arc Region, JohII
Tarney, Andrew D. Saunders, and Stephen D. Weauel' 367
Formation and Evolution of Marginal Basins and Continental Plateaus, M. N(~ri Toksoz alld Peter Binl 379
Destruction ofthe Early Cretaceous Marginal Basin in the Andes ofTierra del Fuego, ROllaldL. Bruhn and
Ian W D. Dalziel 395
TheBaieVerteLineament,Newfoundland: OphioliteComplexFloorandMaficVolcanic FillofaSmallOrdovi-
cian Marginal Basin, W S. F. Kidd 407
Tectonic Evolution of the South Fiji Marginal Basin, A. B. Watts, J. K. Weissel, and F. J Dauey 419
Evolution of the Lau Basin by the Growth of Small Plates, JefIrey K. Weissel 429
The Bering Sea - A Multifarious Marginal Basin, Allan K. Cooper, Michael S. Marlow, and Dauid W.
Scholl 437
The Structure and Age ofAcoustic Basement in the Okhotsk Sea, C. A. Burk and H. S. Gnibidenko 451
Volcanoes as Possible Indicators ofTectonic Stress Orientation-Aleutians and Alaska, Kazuaki Nakanurra,
Klaus Jacob, and John Davies 463
Development ofSedimentary Basins on the Lower Trench Slope, G. F. Moore and D. E. Karig 464
TheUyakComplex, KodiakIslands, Alaska: A SubductionComplexofEarlyMesozoicAge, Willianl CanJIelly,
Malcohn Hill, Betsy Byer Hill, and J Casey Moore 465
Thin Elastic Plate AnalysisofOuterRises, J G. Caldwell, D. L. Turcotte, W F. Haxby, andD. E. Karig 467
Cenozoic Tectonics ofEast Asia, Maurice J Terrnan 468
Maurice Ewing Series Island Arcs, Deep Sea Trenches and Back-Arc Basins Vol. 1
SOME BASIC FROBLEMS IN THE TRENCH-ARC-BACK ARC SYSTEM
Seiya Uyeda
Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Abstract. Some basic problems related to ate in shape convex toward the ocean but not
the thermo-mechanical aspects of trench-arc always. Suggested mechanisms for the "ar7
systems are discussed. The origin of high (Frank, 1968; Matsuda and Uyeda, 1971) do not
heat flow, volcanism and back arc basins, in seem to explain this diversity.
particular, is considered from two basic In addition to that cited above, the follow
models, i.e. the frictional heating model and ing three problems seem to be the most basic.
the secondary mantle flow model. The possible Of course, these problems are not independent
effect of increasing subduction rate within the but are closely inter-related.
frictional model is considered also. The 1) Why is the upper mantle "hot" in the
analysis reveals that the frict'ional model is inner zone of the arc?
not necessarily self-defeating. Finally, (origin of volcanism and high heat flow)
possible mechanisms of marginal basin forma 2) Why is the stress "tensional" in the
tion are considered in the light of one recon back-arc area?
struction history of the western Pacific and (origin of back-arc basins)
its margins. Four mechanisms are suggested: 3) Why do the arcs rise?
1) tensional rifting due to a subducted ridge, (origin of arc mountain belts)
2) entrapment of an old ocean basin, 3) back To understand these problems, the solutions
arc opening and 4) "leaky" transform fault. of the following more specific problems m~y
be helpful.
Introduction 4) Origin of the trench outer swell and
its diversity (Watts and Talwani, 1974).
The trench-arc back arc systems, now found 5) Shallow outer-arc seismicity and its
mainly along the continental margins around diversity (Kanamori, 1971; Kelleher et
the Pacific, are among the most spectacular al., 1974).
tectonic features in the world. In the para 6) Real nature of Wadati-Benioff zone
digm of plate tectonics, they are the sites (Umino and Hasegawa, 1975; Hasegawa,
where an oceanic plate subducts under another 1975; Hasegawa, limino and Takagi, 1976).
plate. Among the three major types of plate 7) Constance of dip angle of Wadati
boundaries, these converging boundaries seem Benioff zones and its variations
to be the most complex. In this paper, the (Jischke, 1976).
author attempts to list the problems that he 8) Time-space distribution of arc volcanic
considers basic and unsolved. Some review rocks (Miyashiro, 1974).
and author's ideas will also be presented on 9) Source material and depth of magma
these problems. It is hoped that many, if not production. Does descending oceanic
all, of the problems cited below will find crust melt (Ringwood, 1974; this Sym
solutions in the aftermath of the first Ewing posium)?
Symposium. 10) Possible role of water and CO in magma
2
production (Wyllie, 1971; Kusfiiro,
Basic Unsolved Problems
1972).
The trench-are-back arc systems (T-A-BA 11) Is "frictional heating" important?
systems hereafter) have characteristic fea (Turcotte and Oxburgh, 1969; Hasebe,
tures in common (e.g. Sugimura and Uyeda, 1973; Fujii and Uyeda, 1970).
Burk and Drake, ed., 1974). Theories must be 12) Possible effects of higher subduction
able to explain the origin of these features. rate (Sugimura and Uyeda, 1973; Sugi
It has to be added, moreover, that at the saki, 1976).
present stage of the game, theories must also 13) Is there outer arc volcanism, or such a
be able to explain the diversity of the sys thing as initial "geosynclinal volcan
tems', e.g. T-A-BA systems are generally arcu- ism?
UYEDA 1
Copyright American Geophysical Union