Evolutionary Dynamics of Subduction Zones

该项目涉及对俯冲带的研究，俯冲带是板块构造驱动力和世界上大多数火山活动和地质灾害的场所。不幸的是，我们对俯冲带过程的认识仍然很不发达。其中一个主要原因是多种过程紧密耦合在一起，例如地球深处的固体变形和与岩浆活动有关的流体迁移。我们在观测上看到的很可能是一种精细的动态平衡的结果。研究人员和他们的合作者将开发俯冲带从开始到过渡到成熟的动态演化模型。最近在模拟材料行为组合方面的数值进展使研究人员在了解俯冲起始方面取得了重大进展。他们将在这些进展的基础上，对成功启动俯冲所需的条件和力量进行更全面的量化。通过跟踪俯冲带从起始到成熟的演化过程，该小组将评估在起始阶段发育的特征如何影响成熟的俯冲。它们还将流体运移与地幔变形耦合在一起。虽然之前已经研究了流体迁移路径，但在本项目中，流体迁移将包括在具有可变形板的动态模型中，从而允许流体和板动力学之间的反馈得到充分表达。虽然大部分工作涉及建模，但这些模型将提供切实的预测，通过与地质和地球物理观测的比较来检验假设。建议的研究有几个更广泛的影响，包括通过支持博士后学者来培训科学人才，以及在互联网上广泛传播俯冲动力学的计算机动画。最后，这项工作将通过成为geframe系统的试验台来加强科学基础设施，该系统将用于促进板块重建与地球动力学模型的整合。在未来，geframework将成为一个系统，通过允许非专业人员使用先进的计算工具来解释地球物理和地质数据，从而增强科学发现。给我们的新闻官发邮件：cdybas@nsf.govcdybas@nsf.gov。

This project involves the study of subduction zones which are the sites for plate tectonic driving forces and most of the volcanic activity and geological hazards found around the world. Unfortunately, our understanding of subduction zone processes is still poorly developed. One of the principal reasons is that multiple processes, such as solid deformation deep in the earth and fluid migration associated with magmatism, are intimately coupled together. It is likely that what we see observationally results from a fine dynamic balance. The investigators and their collaborators will develop dynamic models for the evolution of subduction zones, from initiation to their transition into maturity. Recent numerical advances in modeling combinations of material behavior have allowed the investigators to make significant progress toward understanding subduction initiation. They will build upon these advances to develop a more complete quantification of the conditions and forces needed to successfully initiate subduction. By following the evolution of a subduction zone from its initiation into maturity, the group will assess how features developed during inception influence mature subduction. They will also couple fluid migration with mantle deformation. While fluid migration pathways have been examined previously, in this project, fluid migration will be included in dynamic models with deformable slabs, hence allowing the feedback between fluids and slab dynamics to be fully expressed. Though much of the work involves modeling, the models will provide tangible predictions that will be used to test hypotheses through comparisons to both geological and geophysical observations. There are several broader impacts of the proposed research, including the training of scientific manpower through support of a postdoctoral scholar and wide dissemination of computer animations of subduction dynamics on the internet Finally, this work will enhance scientific infrastructure by being a test bed for the GeoFramework system, which will be used to facilitate integration of plate reconstructions into geodynamic models. In the future, GeoFramework will be a system to enhance scientific discovery by allowing non-specialists to use advanced computational tools to interpret geophysical and geological data.Send a message to our press officer at mailto:cdybas@nsf.govcdybas@nsf.gov.