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PhD Studentship: Detachment faulting and mantle unroofing during continental breakup and seafloor s

Employer
Global Academy Jobs
Location
United Kingdom
Closing date
Jan 22, 2018

Job Details

Details

The exposure at the seafloor of broad expanses of mantle rocks at magma-poor rifted margins and ultraslow-spreading ridges (Reston, 2009; Reston and McDermott, 2011) and at slow-spreading ridges (Reston and Ranero, 2011) has challenged conventional views of rifting and seafloor spreading. In each case, the mantle exposure appears to have been controlled by large-offset, deeply-rooted normal faults termed detachment faults. Thus there is an apparent continuity of process from magma-poor rifting and the exposure of mantle when the crust has thinned to zero, the amagmatic spreading that occurs at some ultra-slow spreading ridges and the development of discrete “oceanic core complexes” at slow-spreading ridges.

This project will use modern seismic data from a magma-poor rift (Porcupine Basin) where the symmetry of the process can be traced from continental rifting to incipient mantle unroofing along strike, 3D seismic data from the classic magma-poor margin (Galicia west of Spain where mantle unroofing was first recognised)and new seismic data across mantle exposures developed during slow seafloor spreading at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 13N.

The project will be based on the seismic interpretation of seismic reflection data. Datasets include data collected by industry offshore Ireland, a large number of profiles across the magma poor margin west of Spain (including a bespoke 3D seismic reflection survey collected in 2013 by Rice, Lamont-Doherty, Birmingham (Reston) and others) and now fully processed, and data to be collected during a geophysical cruise (Jan-Feb 2016) to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 13°N.

 

Funding Notes

In addition to completing an online application form, you will also need to complete and submit the CENTA studentship application form available from www.centa.org.uk.

CENTA studentships are for 3.5 years and are funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). In addition to the full payment of their tuition fees, successful candidates will received the following financial support.

Annual stipend, set as £14,553 for 2017/18

Research training support grant (RTSG) of £8,000

CENTA students are required to undertake 45 days training throughout their PhD including a 10 day placement.

 

References

  • MacLeod, C.J., et al., 2009. Life cycle of oceanic core complexes. Earth Planetary Science Letters, vol. 287, p 333-344.
  • Prada, M. et al. 2017. Crustal strain-dependent serpentinisation in the Porcupine Basin, offshore Ireland. Earth and Planet. Sci. Lett., 474, 148-159
  • Reston, T.J. 2009. The structure, evolution and symmetry of the magma-poor rifted margins of the North and Central Atlantic: a Synthesis. Tectonophysics, 468, 6-27
  • Reston, T.J., et al., 2002. A Rifted Inside Corner Massif on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 5°S. Earth and Planet. Sci. Lett 200, 255-269.
  • Reston, TJet al., 2004, Extreme crustal thinning in the south Porcupine Basin and the nature of the Porcupine Median High: Implications for the formation of non-volcanic rifted margins. J Geol Soc London, 161, 783-798.
  • Reston TJ and McDermott K. 2011. Successive detachment faults and mantle unroofing at magma-poor rifted margins. Geology, 39, 1071-1074.
  • Reston TJ and Ranero CR. 2011, 3D geometry of detachment faulting at mid-ocean ridges. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, vol. 12, Number 7, Q0AG05, doi:10.1029/2011GC003666.
  • Sauter, D et al., 2013. Continuous exhumation of mantle-derived rocks at the SW Indian Ridge for 11 million years. Nature Geoscience, vol 6, 314-320.

 

Company

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