CAREER: Unfolding Earth history back to the Mesozoic by incorporating seismic tomography into Pacific realm plate tectonic reconstructions

目前的板块构造理论允许不到一半的地球表面在白垩纪早期被重建得足够详细，这只是最近的地球历史的3%。 最大的未知数位于泛萨拉萨-太平洋领域，这是一个曾经覆盖地球70%的现已消失的海洋领域。 这个项目将建立一个新的泛萨拉萨-太平洋板块重建回到中生代时代的新的限制地震层析成像-地震图像的地球？的斗篷。 该研究与一项教育计划相结合，该计划侧重于使用地球内部成像来帮助开发3D空间分析的基本但未充分利用的STEM技能，这是一项确定的核心地球科学技能。 外展工作优先通过本科课程开发，与当地市中心STEM磁铁高中的合作伙伴关系，并通过夏季本科生经验，接触历史上在科学领域代表性不足的群体。 该项目将建立一个断层扫描为主导的，完整的板块重建太平洋-泛地中海领域回到中生代，这将有助于与时间相关的运动学和构造边界条件的全球模型和区域研究。 使用非常规的断层摄影板重建工作流程，其涉及来自断层摄影的板的3D映射、板展开（逆变形）以及使用可用的运动学约束以分层方式将板运动分配给展开的板。 层析板重建模型进行了系统的比较，相关的环太平洋地质数据集，并进一步测试作为输入边界条件的两个不同的地球动力学正演模拟方法，使用成熟的代码CitcomS和TERRA的工作流程。 由此产生的板块模型将为地球的一半以上提供一个替代的俯冲历史，可以在其他全球模型中模拟。 此外，该项目还探索了地震层析成像技术在连接深部地幔和地球表面以实现4D地球演化方面的能力和局限性，这为NSF Tectonics确定的关键研究前沿提供了支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Current plate tectonic theory permits less than half of the Earth surface to be reconstructed with adequate detail by the early Cretaceous, which is only the most recent ~3% of Earth history. The largest unknowns lie within the Panthalassa-Pacific realm, a now-vanished oceanic domain that once covered ~70% of the Earth. This project will build a new Panthalassa-Pacific plate reconstruction back to Mesozoic times from the novel constraints of seismic tomography - seismological images of the Earth?s mantle. The research is combined with an educational plan that focuses on using Earth interior imaging to help develop the essential but underutilized STEM skill of 3D spatial analysis, an identified core geoscience skill. Outreach efforts prioritize reaching groups historically underrepresented in the sciences via undergraduate curriculum development, a collaborative partnership with a local inner-city STEM magnet high school, and through summer undergraduate experiences. This project will build a tomography-led, full plate reconstruction for the Pacific-Panthalassa realm back to the Mesozoic era that will contribute time-dependent kinematic and tectonic boundary conditions for global models and regional studies. An unconventional tomographic plate reconstruction workflow is used that involves 3D mapping of slabs from tomography, slab unfolding (retro-deformation), and assigning plate motions to the unfolded slabs in a hierarchical fashion using available kinematic constraints. The tomographic plate reconstruction model is systematically compared to relevant circum-Pacific geological datasets, and further tested as input boundary conditions for two distinct geodynamic forward modeling approaches using established workflows for the mature codes CitcomS and TERRA. The resulting plate model will provide an alternative subduction history for more than half of the Earth that can be simulated within other global models. In addition, the project explores the capabilities and limitations of seismic tomography for linking the deep mantle to the Earth surface for 4D Earth evolution, which supports an identified key research frontier for NSF Tectonics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.