Margins declassified

Article Abstract:

The binary classification of continental margins as either volcanic or non-volcanic oversimplifies the Earth's activities, and cannot account for many margins. New research suggests that margin of the US East Coast is neither non-volcanic or volcanic, in the hot-spot sense of the term. While the dipping reflectors and high-velocity dip layer would suggest a volcanic margin, there is no evidence of hot-spot activity. A better understanding of the geological boundaries of the Earth are as essential to the knowledge of margins as volcanic activity, as the East Coast margin shows.

Models, Geology, Structural, Structural geology, Plate tectonics, Continental margins

---

Hot, fat and falling apart?

Article Abstract:

B. Taylor and colleagues have shown that the ruptures that cause the rifting of continental lithosphere occur through a sort of progressive unzipping rather than a synchronous rupturing along a great length of the lithosphere. The westward narrowing of the western Woodlark basin, associated with the progressive termination of older sea-floor magnetic lineations, has been presented as evidence of this process. The propagation started 5 million years ago, taking an east to west direction.

Continental shelf, Continental shelves

---

Analogies to oceanic behaviour in the continental breakup of the western Woodlark basin

Article Abstract:

The Woodlark basin northeast of Papua New Guinea provides a brief view of active rifting and continental breakup. Continental breakup, rifting and the formation of oceanic lithosphere usually involve rupture caused by a rift tip. Several tectonic elements in the western Woodlark intracontinental system are recognized. A kinematic development which can be seen as an extrapolation of oceanic tectonics is also noted.

Analysis, Continental drift, Basins (Geology)

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Directional guidance of neuronal migration in the olfactory system by the protein Slit. The neuronal repellent Slit inhibits leukocyte chemotaxis induced by chemotactic factors
• Abstracts: Correlation between climate events in the North Atlantic and China during the last glaciation. Evolution of Asian monsoons and phased uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan plateau since Late Miocene times
• Abstracts: Plumage brightness as an indicator of parental care in northern cardinals. Female choice for age-specific plumage in the orchard oriole: implications for delayed plumage maturation
• Abstracts: Warming trends in Asia amplified by brown cloud solar absorption. Seeing in the dark
• Abstracts: Identification of in vivo substrates of the chaperonin GroEL. A TCP1-related molecular chaperone from plants refolds phytochrome to its photoreversible form

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.