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Tectonic Crossroads: Evolving Orogens of Eurasia-Africa-Arabia

Paper No. 3
Presentation Time: 15:10

FROM SUBDUCTION TO COLLISION: THE ROLE OF THE ERATOSTHENES SEAMOUNT IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN


HALL, Jeremy1, HÜBSCHER, Christian2, EHRHARDT, Axel3, DEHGHANI, Ali2, HÖLZ, Sebastian4, LOUDEN, Keith5, AKSU, Ali1 and SCHATTNER, Uri6, (1)Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NF A1B 3X5, Canada, (2)Institute for Geophysics, University of Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, Hamburg, D-20146, Germany, (3)Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe, Stilleweg 2, Hannover, 30655, Germany, (4)IFM-GEOMAR, Wischhofstr. 1-3, Kiel, 24148, Germany, (5)Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4J1, Canada, (6)Dept. of Marine Geosciences, CSMS, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel, jeremyh@mun.ca

The Hellenic and Cyprus Arcs mark the convergent boundary between the African plate and the Aegean-Anatolian microplate. Subduction of the African plate under the Hellenic Arc is continuous. However, diffuse seismicity and distributed contraction suggest that the Cyprus Arc is in transition form subduction to collision. Eratosthenes Seamount, a continental fragment of the African Plate, is drifting northward towards Cyprus. Its impinging on the Cyprus Arc is partly responsible for the uplift of Cyprus. The results of ODP Leg 160 confirmed this scenario.

Marine geophysical surveys conducted in 2010—gravity, magnetics, multi-channel seismic reflection, wide-angle reflection/refraction seismic, magnetotellurics and swath bathymetry—offer unparalleled insights into the processes affecting Eratosthenes in its interaction with Cyprus. Regional analysis of unconformities indicates shifts in the tectonics at the end of Miocene and in the late Pliocene, which may reflect multiple stages in the development of collision. Our surveys enable us to characterise the early stage of collision of Eratosthenes with Cyprus and point at possible precursors below the Hecataeus Rise.

Session No. 39

Subduction, collision and orogeny. Part 2
Thursday, 7 October 2010: 14:30-16:50
Kemal Kurdas Salon (METU Convention and Cultural Centre)
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