A long-term rock uplift rate for eastern Crete and geodynamic implications for the Hellenic subduction zone

Strobl, Marcus; Hetzel, Ralf; Fassoulas, Charalampos; Kubik, Peter W.

doi:10.1016/j.jog.2014.04.002

Cited by 30 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Previous studies have highlighted differences in the ages and altitudes of paleoshorelines from western to eastern Crete (Pirazzoli et al, 1982(Pirazzoli et al, , 1996Shaw et al, 2008;Strobl et al, 2014;Tiberti et al, 2014) (see boundary in Fig. 1).…”

Section: Paleoshorelines On Cretementioning

confidence: 99%

“…During the last ∼40 yr many studies have been conducted on coastal areas of Crete mainly to constrain its vertical tectonic motion (Flemming, 1978;Pirazzoli et al, 1982Pirazzoli et al, , 1996Stiros, 2001;Shaw et al, 2008;Gallen et al, 2014;Strobl et al, 2014;Tiberti et al, 2014). The resulting tectonic models require uplift and, in some cases, subsidence associated with a range of inferred mechanisms including upper-plate faulting (both normal and reverse), slip on the subduction thrust, sediment underplating or isostatic adjustments to mass deficit beneath Crete (e.g., Pirazzoli et al, 1982Pirazzoli et al, , 1996Stiros, 2001;Meier et al, 2007;Snopek et al, 2007;Shaw et al, 2008;Ganas and Parsons, 2009;Becker et al, 2010;Gallen et al, 2014;Strobl et al, 2014;Tiberti et al, 2014). However, these models are typically conditioned by data from a limited section of the island (either in the west or east) and this article is the first that we are aware of to examine paleoshorelines along the entire Cretan coastline ( Fig.…”

Section: Paleoshorelines On Cretementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ages of Cretan paleoshorelines in the literature are mainly derived from radiocarbon dating in western Crete (N > 70 samples) (Pirazzoli et al, 1982(Pirazzoli et al, , 1996Wegmann, 2008;Shaw et al, 2008Shaw et al, , 2010Strasser et al, 2011;Tiberti et al, 2014), with small numbers of samples dated in eastern and western Crete using the Optically Stimulated Luminescence (N = 8), 10 Be (N = 4) and 36 Cl (N = 3) techniques (Wegmann, 2008;Gaki-Papanastassiou et al, 2009;Gallen et al, 2014;Strobl et al, 2014). Collectively, the resulting ages range from 0.5-600 kyr BP and here we focus on those paleoshorelines dated by the radiocarbon technique which range from ∼0.5 to 48 cal.…”

Section: Localitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In many cases these data have been used to derive estimates of eustatic sea-level changes and/or rock uplift arising from tectonic processes (e.g., Pirazzoli et al, 1982;Ota, 1986;Chappell et al, 1996;Victor et al, 2011). Studies of Late Quaternary paleoshorelines on the Eastern Mediterranean island of Crete have not universally produced results that can be unambiguously interpreted given our present understanding of eustatic sea-level changes, rock uplift and paleoshoreline histories (Pirazzoli et al, 1982(Pirazzoli et al, , 1996Shaw et al, 2008Shaw et al, , 2010Gallen et al, 2014;Strobl et al, 2014;Tiberti et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Formation of Late Quaternary paleoshorelines in Crete, Eastern Mediterranean

Mouslopoulou

Begg

Nicol

et al. 2015

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

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Section: Paleoshorelines On Cretementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Paleoshorelines On Cretementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Localitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Formation of Late Quaternary paleoshorelines in Crete, Eastern Mediterranean

Mouslopoulou

Begg

Nicol

et al. 2015

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

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“…On Crete, extensional faults cut the structural nappe units and opened basins that filled with Neogene marine sediments that are now exposed hundreds of meters above sea level, indicating long-lived uplift of the island (Meulenkamp et al, 1994;van Hinsbergen and Meulenkamp, 2006;Zachariasse et al, 2008). Pleistocene and Holocene paleo-shoreline markers found tens to hundreds of meters above modern sea level along the coastlines of Crete document continued uplift of the island throughout the Quaternary (Flemming, 1978;Angelier, 1979;Pirazzoli et al, 1982;Meulenkamp et al, 1994;Kelletat, 1996;Wegmann, 2008;Strasser et al, 2011;Strobl et al, 2014;Gallen et al, 2014;Tiberti et al, 2014;Mouslopoulou et al, 2015).…”

Section: Geologic and Tectonic Setting Of Cretementioning

confidence: 99%

River profile response to normal fault growth and linkage: an example from the Hellenic forearc of south-central Crete, Greece

2017

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Abstract. Topography is a reflection of the tectonic and geodynamic processes that act to uplift the Earth's surface and the erosional processes that work to return it to base level. Numerous studies have shown that topography is a sensitive recorder of tectonic signals. A quasi-physical understanding of the relationship between river incision and rock uplift has made the analysis of fluvial topography a popular technique for deciphering relative, and some argue absolute, histories of rock uplift. Here we present results from a study of the fluvial topography from south-central Crete, demonstrating that river longitudinal profiles indeed record the relative history of uplift, but several other processes make it difficult to recover quantitative uplift histories. Prior research demonstrates that the south-central coastline of Crete is bound by a large ( ∼ 100 km long) E-W striking composite normal fault system. Marine terraces reveal that it is uplifting between 0.1 and 1.0 mm yr −1 . These studies suggest that two normal fault systems, the offshore Ptolemy and onshore South-Central Crete faults, linked together in the recent geologic past (ca. 0.4-1 My BP). Fault mechanics predict that when adjacent faults link into a single fault the uplift rate in footwalls of the linkage zone will increase rapidly. We use this natural experiment to assess the response of river profiles to a temporal jump in uplift rate and to assess the applicability of the stream power incision model to this setting. Using river profile analysis we show that rivers in south-central Crete record the relative uplift history of fault growth and linkage as theory predicts that they should. Calibration of the commonly used stream power incision model shows that the slope exponent, n, is ∼ 0.5, contrary to most studies that find n ≥ 1. Analysis of fluvial knickpoints shows that migration distances are not proportional to upstream contributing drainage area, as predicted by the stream power incision model. Maps of the transformed stream distance variable, χ, indicate that drainage basin instability, drainage divide migration, and river capture events complicate river profile analysis in south-central Crete. Waterfalls are observed in southern Crete and appear to operate under less efficient and different incision mechanics than assumed by the stream power incision model. Drainage area exchange and waterfall formation are argued to obscure linkages between empirically derived metrics and quasi-physical descriptions of river incision, making it difficult to quantitatively interpret rock uplift histories from river profiles in this setting. Karst hydrology, break down of assumed drainage area discharge scaling, and chemical weathering might also contribute to the failure of the stream power incision model to adequately predict the behavior of the fluvial system in south-central Crete.

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Clusters of megaearthquakes on upper plate faults control the Eastern Mediterranean hazard

Mouslopoulou

Nicol

Begg

et al. 2015

Geophysical Research Letters

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The Hellenic subduction margin in the Eastern Mediterranean has generated devastating historical earthquakes and tsunamis with poorly known recurrence intervals. Here stranded paleoshorelines indicate strong uplift transients (0–7 mm/yr) along the island of Crete during the last ~50 kyr due to earthquake clustering. We identify the highest uplift rates in western Crete since the demise of the Minoan civilization and along the entire island between ~10 and 20 kyr B.P., with the absence of uplifted Late Holocene paleoshorelines in the east being due to seismic quiescence. Numerical models show that uplift along the Hellenic margin is primarily achieved by great earthquakes on major reverse faults in the upper plate with little contribution from plate‐interface slip. These earthquakes were strongly clustered with recurrence intervals ranging from hundreds to thousands of years and primarily being achieved by fault interactions. Future great earthquakes will rupture seismically quiet areas in eastern Crete, elevating both seismic and tsunami hazards.

show abstract

A long-term rock uplift rate for eastern Crete and geodynamic implications for the Hellenic subduction zone

Cited by 30 publications

References 74 publications

Formation of Late Quaternary paleoshorelines in Crete, Eastern Mediterranean

Formation of Late Quaternary paleoshorelines in Crete, Eastern Mediterranean

River profile response to normal fault growth and linkage: an example from the Hellenic forearc of south-central Crete, Greece

Clusters of megaearthquakes on upper plate faults control the Eastern Mediterranean hazard

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