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

Publication Status is "Submitted" Or "In Press: 
LDEO Publication: 
Publication Type: 
Year of Publication: 
1996
Editor: 
Journal Title: 
Nature
Journal Date: 
Mar 28
Place Published: 
Tertiary Title: 
Volume: 
380
Issue: 
6572
Pages: 
333-336
Section / Start page: 
Publisher: 
ISBN Number: 
0028-0836
ISSN Number: 
Edition: 
Short Title: 
Accession Number: 
ISI:A1996UC37900055
LDEO Publication Number: 
Call Number: 
Abstract: 

THE Woodlark basin/D'Entrecasteaux Island region off northeast Papua New Guinea (Fig. 1) offers a rare glimpse of the propagation of active rifting and continental breakup(1) into orogenically thickened (and subsequently extended) lithosphere(2-10). Rifting, continental breakup, and the subsequent formation of oceanic lithosphere by sea-floor spreading often involve rupture controlled by propagation of a rift tip(11-20). We recognize several tectonic elements in the evolving western Woodlark intracontinental system that are close geometric analogues of wholly oceanic propagators, and a kinematic development that can be viewed as an extrapolation of oceanic tectonics. The response to deformational stresses in the final stages of breakup in a thick, relatively hot, and hence weak continental lithosphere appears akin to that of oceanic lithosphere.

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Uc379Times Cited:13Cited References Count:31

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