Forces driving continental collision: Reconciling indentation and mantle subduction tectonics

Research Article| August 01, 1996 Forces driving continental collision: Reconciling indentation and mantle subduction tectonics Susan Ellis Susan Ellis 1Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4J1, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Susan Ellis 1Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4J1, Canada Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1996) 24 (8): 699–702. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1996)024<0699:FDCCRI>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Susan Ellis; Forces driving continental collision: Reconciling indentation and mantle subduction tectonics. Geology 1996;; 24 (8): 699–702. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1996)024<0699:FDCCRI>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Two end-member classes of models (indentation and mantle subduction) that have been proposed to explain patterns of crustal deformation during continental collision may be reconciled using a model that includes a combination of indentation from the side and basal forcing from underlying subducting layers. Measurement of the width of deformation across strike can be used to indicate the predominant forcing mechanism and shows that the combined case is controlled by mantle subduction if the crust is well coupled to the underlying mantle lithosphere, or by indentation if the crust and mantle lithosphere are decoupled. An increase in the width of deformation with convergence as a result of the effect of gravity on crustal thickening can cause a change in the primary control of an orogenic system from mantle subduction to indentation; this transfer may be enhanced by diffusional or convective heating at the base of the thickened crust. The India-Eurasia collision is an example where the deformation width may initially have depended on mantle subduction, but is now controlled by the indenter limit. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.