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

这个合作研究项目（CRP）解决了一个有趣的过程板块（边界）重组，被认为是活跃在西地中海地区。由于非洲岩石圈的回滚，阿尔杰罗-普罗旺斯盆地（位于西班牙、科西嘉-撒丁岛和西北非洲之间）的打开，导致了迁移的弧-海沟系统与西北非洲（马格里布）边缘的碰撞，在M。中新世我们调查的假设，这一事件促使随后的和可能仍在进行中的东部卡拉布里亚弧的演变，并可能在西部的直布罗陀弧。此外，最近沿着大陆边缘的活动表明，一个新的俯冲带正在形成的可能性，容纳非洲和欧亚大陆（欧洲）之间的持续的~ N-S运动。这个过程是地球动力学的一个关键要素（威尔逊循环！）。地中海环境提供了独特的机会，研究弧的演变和俯冲启动过程中的自然环境。TopoMed认识到这一过程的岩石圈规模，并将经验丰富的科学家团队的专业知识与强大的跟踪记录相结合，将地球物理，地质和大地测量数据采集和分析，成像和先进的建模相结合，以调查这一板块边界重组的过去和未来演变。特别关注的是深部岩石圈和地幔尺度过程及其（近）表面表达，特别是地形演变和自然灾害之间的关系。

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.