Plate re-organization in the western Mediterranean: lithospheric causes and topographic consequences (TopoMed)

该合作研究项目(CRP)解决了一个有趣的板块(边界)重组过程，被认为活跃在地中海西部地区。阿尔杰罗-普罗旺斯盆地(位于西班牙、科西嘉-撒丁岛和非洲西北部之间)因非洲岩石圈的回滚而开放，导致迁移的弧沟系统与中新世非洲(马格里布)西北部边缘发生碰撞。我们研究了这样一种假设，即这一事件促使东部的卡拉布里亚弧随后并可能仍在进行中，以及可能在西部的直布罗陀弧的演化。此外，最近沿边缘的活动表明，一个新的俯冲带可能正在形成，以适应非洲和欧亚(欧洲)之间持续的N-S运动。这一过程是地球动力学(威尔逊循环！)中的一个关键因素。地中海背景为在自然环境中研究弧体的演化和俯冲启动过程提供了独特的机会。由于认识到这一过程的岩石圈规模，并结合了一支经验丰富、记录丰富的科学家团队的专业知识，TopMed整合了地球物理、地质和大地测量数据采集和分析、成像和高级建模，以调查这次板块边界重组的过去和未来演变。特别关注深部岩石圈和地幔尺度过程及其(近)地表表现之间的关系，特别是地形演化和自然灾害。

This Collaborative Research Project (CRP) addresses an intriguing process of plate (boundary) re-organization, considered to be active in the western Mediterranean region. The opening of the Algero-Provencal Basin (between Spain, Corsica-Sardinia and NW Africa) by roll-back of the African lithosphere, led to collision of the migrating arc-trench system with the NW African (Maghrebian) margin, in the M. Miocene. We investigate the hypothesis that this event prompted the subsequent and probably still ongoing evolution of the Calabrian Arc in the east, and possibly that of the Gibraltar Arc in the west. Furthermore, recent activity along the margin indicates the possibility that a new subduction zone is being formed, accommodating the continuing ~ N-S motion between Africa and Eurasia (Europe). This process is a key element in Earth dynamics (Wilson Cycle!). The Mediterranean setting offers unique opportunities to study the arcs’ evolution and the subduction initiation process in a natural setting. Acknowledging the lithosphere scale of the process and combining the expertise of an experienced team of scientists with strong track records, TopoMed integrates geophysical, geological and geodetical data acquisition and analysis, imaging, and advanced modelling to investigate the past and future evolution of this plate boundary reorganization. Special focus is on the relationships between the deep lithospheric and mantle scale processes and their (near-) surface expressions, in particular topographic evolution and natural hazards.