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Magnetotelluric imaging of a fossil paleozoic intraoceanic subduction zone in western Junggar, NW China
Author(s) -
Xu Yixian,
Yang Bo,
Zhang Sheng,
Liu Ying,
Zhu Lupei,
Huang Rong,
Chen Chao,
Li Yongtao,
Luo Yinhe
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: solid earth
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.983
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 2169-9356
pISSN - 2169-9313
DOI - 10.1002/2015jb012394
Subject(s) - geology , subduction , paleozoic , paleontology , magnetotellurics , geophysics , tectonics , engineering , electrical engineering , electrical resistivity and conductivity
The fate of subducted oceanic slabs can provide important clues to plate reconstruction through Earth history. Since oceanic slabs in continental collision zones are typically not well preserved, ancient subduction zones have rarely been imaged by geophysical techniques. Here we present an exception from the Darbut belt in the Junggar accretionary collage in the southern Altaids of Asia. We deployed a 182 km long magnetotelluric (MT) profile including 60 broadband sounding sites across the belt. Quality off‐diagonal impedances were inverted by a three‐dimensional scheme to image resistivities beneath the profile. The resistivity model along with MT impedance phase ellipses and induction vectors were tested and interpreted in detail. Combining geological and geophysical observations, mineral physical experiment, and geodynamic modeling results, the MT transect suggests a fossil intraoceanic subduction zone during the Late Paleozoic in the western Junggar that has been well preserved due to lack of significant subsequent tecto‐thermal events.