Collaborative Research: Late Cretaceous - Early Tertiary Plate Interactions in the Southwest Pacific

9317872 Cande：该奖项支持在东经170度和西经80度之间的西南太平洋进行海洋地球物理研究。最近在西南太平洋进行的海洋地球物理巡航和高分辨率高程重力场解密Geosat数据，使得在破译坎贝尔高原/查塔姆隆起大陆和玛丽伯德陆缘之间的复杂裂谷历史方面取得了重大进展。修正的板块相互作用历史解释了在磁场和重力场中看到的许多神秘特征，但仍有几个问题需要新的数据来解决。提出的海洋地球物理调查将：(1)阐明南极和澳大利亚板块之间演化的三重连接处的板块相互作用以及西南太平洋板块的镶嵌；(2)确定了适应与新西兰外太平洋-凤凰脊俯冲、大陆和海洋岩石圈裂谷以及热点活动相关的快速变化的板块几何形状的板块镶嵌边界和相互作用；(3)绘制了太平洋-南极脊的发育和若干小板块向现今太平洋板块的组合。这项调查将有助于阐明南极洲和新西兰板块相互作用的动力学和板块构造演化。＊＊＊

9317872 Cande This award supports a marine geophysical study of the southwest Pacific between 170 degrees E and 80 degrees W longitude. Recent marine geophysical cruises in the southwest Pacific and a high-resolution altimetric gravity field declassified Geosat data have allowed significant progress to be made towards deciphering the complex history of the rifting between the Campbell Plateau/Chatham Rise landmass and the Marie Byrd Land margin. A revised history of plate interactions explains many enigmatic features seen in the magnetic and gravity fields yet several questions remain that require new data for resolution. The marine geophysical survey proposed will: (1) elucidate plate interactions at the evolving triple junction between the Antarctic and Australian plates and the mosaic of SW Pacific plates; (2) define the boundaries and interactions of the mosaic of plates that accommodated the rapidly changing plate geometry associated with subduction of the Pacific-Phoenix ridge outboard of New Zealand, the rifting of continental and oceanic lithosphere, and hotspot activity; and (3) map the development of Pacific-Antarctic Ridge and the assembly of the several small plates into the modern day Pacific plate. This survey will help to elucidate the dynamics of plate interactions and the plate tectonic evolution of Antarctica and New Zealand. ***