Perennial plate tectonics with lasting mantle lithosphere scars

Abstract:

Although the conventional theory of plate tectonics can explain non-rigid behaviour at plate boundaries, it cannot adequately explain the processes involved in deformation and seismicity within plate interiors. Here, we consider that the pre-existing deformation or "scarring" within the mantle lithosphere may have a very long lived presence that could incorporate deformation of the plate interior and plate boundary. Mantle lithosphere scars from continent-continent collisions could generate virtual plate boundaries that remain over long timescales, producing "perennial" plate tectonics. Local geophysical studies can map the crustal environment well, and global whole mantle tomography models are rapidly improving, yet high-resolution images of the mantle lithosphere are often not available in regions where scarring may be present. Where mantle lithosphere heterogeneities have been observed (usually interpreted simply as subduction scars), the same attention has not been afforded to them as, for example, re-activation of faults within the Earth's crust. In idealized numerical simulations, we compare how relic scarring at varying depths in the lithosphere affects patterns of deformation. High-resolution thermal-mechanical numerical experiments explore continental lithospheric deformation featuring a weakened crust and mantle lithosphere scars. Our models show that deep lithospheric scars can control the tectonic evolution of a region over shallow geological features, indicating the importance of mantle lithosphere heterogeneities. The Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF) in central China is an example of an ancient continental collision zone that undergoes periodic deformation during times of regional compression. We suggest that the ATF may be a locale where a long-lasting mantle lithosphere scar can control the subsequent crustal evolution and deformation, with ancient plate boundaries having a "perennial" plate tectonic presence.