RIFTING
Burke & Whiteman (1973)
A Doming by a mantle plume associated with volcanicity.
B. Rifting (rrr junction) is initiated.
C. Further development results in two of the rifts
developing into an ocean, the third is a failed arm
(aulacogen).
D. Less likely is that all three arms develop into oceans.
E. A common situation is that the failed arm develops into a
major river system feeding the continental margin. F.
Expansion of oceans on a finite earth is not possible: there
must be plate subduction, somewhere, sometime. G.
Closure of oceans results in island arc development above
the subduction zone. H. Continued closure results in
collision with major fold and thrust belts. But often the failed
arm (aulocogen) is still preserved.
A Doming by a mantle plume associated with volcanicity.
B. Rifting (rrr junction) is initiated.
C. Further development results in two of the rifts developing into an ocean, the third is a failed arm (aulacogen).
D. Less likely is that all three arms develop into oceans.
E. A common situation is that the failed arm develops
into a major river system feeding the continental
margin.
F. Expansion of oceans on a finite earth is not
possible: there must be plate subduction, somewhere,
sometime.
G. Closure of oceans results in island arc
development above the subduction zone.
H. Continued closure results in collision with major
fold and thrust belts. But often the failed arm
(aulocogen) is still preserved.
CONTINENTAL RIFTING: rrr and RRR triple junctions
Four main stages can be recognised in the tectonic development of a typical rifted passive margin:
(1) The RIFT VALLEY stage involves early graben formation prior to continental splitting.
This stage may be associated with domal uplift caused by uprise of hot upper mantle material
- but this uplift is not ubiquitous and may be connected with underlying mantle hotspots. Example:
African Rift Valley.
(2) The YOUTHFUL stage, lasting about 50 my after the onsett of seafloor spreading,
while the thermal effects are still dominant. This stage is characterised by rapid regional subsidence
of the outer shelf and slope, but some graben formation may persist. Example: Red Sea.
(3) The MATURE stage during which more subdued regional subsidence may continue.
Example: most of the present Atlantic continental margins.
(4) The FRACTURE stage when subduction starts and terminates the history of the continental
margin.
MECANISMO DE FORMAÇÃO DE
UM RIFT
ACTIVE RIFTING
PASSIVE RIFTING
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Progressive formation of a rift valley through
extension of the lithosphere and continental
crust (by about 50 km). Note that uprise and
decompression of the underlying
asthenosphere results in magma formation.
The crust responds by brittle fracture. Early
rift sediments are downfaulted into the
developing rift (graben). Erosion takes place
on the sides of the rift valley.
The first stage assumes that graben-like faults begin to form in the
brittle crust.
The second stage shows simultaneous necking of the lithosphere
with uprise of an asthenosphere diapir. The decompression
associated with the latter causes melting of the mantle to give
alkaline basaltic magmas. Pre-existing sediments are downfaulted
into the graben.
The third stage is accompanied by significant extension and by more uprise of the asthenosphere. The latter
causes doming of the crust (which is evident along the E. African rift system, but is variably devloped. New
sediments are deposited within the graben as a result of erosion of the uplifting sides of the graben. So there are
both pre-rift and syn-rift sediments within the developing rift valley, but sediments on the flanks are
progressively erodied away. Note the complex normal-faulting within the rift valley itself .
The first stage assumes that graben-like faults begin to form in the brittle crust.
The second stage shows simultaneous necking of the lithosphere with uprise of an
asthenosphere diapir. The decompression associated with the latter causes melting of the mantle
to give alkaline basaltic magmas. Pre-existing sediments are downfaulted into the graben .
The third stage is accompanied by significant extension and by
more uprise of the asthenosphere. The latter causes doming of the
crust (which is evident along the E. African rift system, but is
variably devEloped. New sediments are deposited within the
graben as a result of erosion of the uplifting sides of the graben. So
there are both pre-rift and syn-rift sediments within the developing
rift valley, but sediments on the flanks are progressively eroded
away. Note the complex normal-faulting within the rift valley itself.
The fourth stage shows the actually
rifting-apart of the continent, so the
asthenosphere rises towards the surface,
causing decompression and extensice
melting. New basaltic oceanic crust is
formed.
Finally, sea-floor spreading takes over as the
ocean basin widens. The rift sedimentary
sequence is buried beneath younger marine
sediments
CLCB: continental lower-crustal
body;
OLCB: oceanic lower-crustal body;
SDRs: ....
