Collaborative Research: Tectonic and Magmatic Processes during Early-Stage Rifting: an Integrated Study of Northern Lake Malawi, Africa

虽然厚大陆岩石圈延伸并最终破裂的概念已经被接受了50多年，但发生这种情况所需的条件以及控制裂谷样式、构造分段的形成和维持以及岩浆活动启动的最重要因素仍然存在争议。这在伸展的最早阶段尤其如此，部分原因是大多数研究都集中在成功的裂谷边缘和成熟裂谷上，在那里，广泛的伸展、同裂谷和裂谷后的岩浆活动以及破碎后的沉积作用覆盖并掩埋了早期伸展的记录。了解洋中脊和裂谷的特征如何、为何以及何时在早期裂谷作用期间首先形成和演变，对于更广泛地了解板块分离至关重要，本项目的主要科学目标是研究所有分离板块边界的两个基本特征的出现和早期演变：岩浆活动和分段。在大多数洋中脊和后期裂谷，岩浆活动容纳了相当大比例的板块分离。同样地，转换断层划分了大洋中脊的离散扩张段，这些扩张段的主要特征是中心的岩浆活动比边缘的更强烈。 在晚期裂谷和新洋盆中也观察到了发育良好的岩浆和构造分段。然而，对年轻裂谷中岩浆和构造分段的启动和发展的控制却知之甚少。具体而言，PI寻求解决以下问题：？ 岩浆活动何时、何地、为何在裂谷中开始，它在适应伸展中的作用是什么？ 是什么控制了早期裂谷构造分段的发展？它如何表现在岩浆作用的4D模式中 该项目包括对东非裂谷系马拉维湖北方地区进行综合地球物理、地球化学和地质研究，以解决这些问题。 这是世界上为数不多的几个拥有对早期裂谷进行全面研究所需的所有要素的地方之一。主动和被动地震数据和MT数据将揭示地壳和岩石圈在各种长度尺度上的三维结构，从边界断层和调节带的结构到地幔岩石圈中变形和岩浆（如果存在）的分布。地表变形、地震活动、裂谷地层学以及火山岩的地质年代学、热压学和地球化学等将对岩浆活动的起源以及变形和岩浆活动在一系列时间尺度上的演化产生制约，包括岩石圈下源与岩石圈源的可能变化贡献。活动和累积变形模式的比较，将能够评估的重要性，幕，地震和岩浆活动在容纳扩展，以及它们如何与分割。这种强有力的时间和空间限制的结合将产生独特的见解在大陆裂谷的分割和岩浆活动的启动。

Although the concept that thick continental lithosphere extends and ultimately ruptures has been accepted for over 50 years, the conditions required for this to occur and the factors that are most important in controlling the style of rifting, the formation and maintenance of tectonic segmentation and the initiation of magmatism remain contentious. This is especially true of the earliest stages of extension, in part because most studies focus on successfully rifted margins and mature rifts, where extensive stretching, syn- and post-rift magmatism, and post-breakup sedimentation overwrite and bury the record of incipient extension. Understanding how, why and when features that are characteristic of mid-ocean ridges and rifts first form and evolve during early rifting is essential for a broader understanding of plate divergence.The primary scientific goal of this project is to examine the emergence and early evolution of two fundamental features of all divergent plate boundaries: magmatism and segmentation. Magmatism accommodates a significant percentage of plate separation at most mid-ocean ridges and late-stage rifts. Likewise, transform faults demarcate discrete spreading segments in mid-ocean ridges, which are broadlycharacterized by more robust magmatism at their centers than at their edges. Well-developed magmatic and tectonic segmentation is also observed in late-stage rifts and new ocean basins However,little is known about the controls on the initiation and development of magmatism and segmentation in young rifts. Specifically, th PIs seek to address the following questions:? When, where and why does magmatism initiate in rifts, and what is its role in accommodating extension?? What controls the development of tectonic segmentation in early-stage rifts? How is it manifested in 4D patterns of magmatism and deformation.The project consists of an integrated geophysical, geochemical and geological study of the northern Lake Malawi region in the East African Rift System (EARS) to address these questions. This is one of the few places in the world that has all of the ingredients necessary for a comprehensive study of early rifting. Active and passive seismic data and MT data will reveal the 3D structure of the crust and lithosphere at a variety of length scales, from the architecture of border faults and accommodation zones to the distribution of deformation and magma (if present) in the mantle lithosphere. Surface deformation, seismicity, and rift stratigraphy, as well as geochronology, thermobarometry and geochemistry of volcanic rocks, will yield constraints on the origin of magmatism and the evolution of deformation and magmatism at a range of time scales, including possibly variable contributions from sub-lithospheric versus lithospheric sources. Comparisons of active and cumulative deformation patterns will enable the evaluation of the importance of episodicity, seismicity and magmatism in accommodating extension and how they relate to segmentation. This powerful combination of temporal and spatial constraints will produce unique insights into the initiation of segmentation and magmatism during continental rifting.