TOPO-EUROPE: Coupled Deep Earth – Surface Processes in Europe

Abstract

TOPO-EUROPE is a multidisciplinary international research program that addresses the interaction of processes inherent to the deep Earth (lithosphere, mantle) with surface processes (erosion, climate, sea level), which together shaped the topography of Europe. The objective of the TOPO-EUROPE project is to assess neotectonic deformation rates and to quantify related geo-risks, such as earthquakes, flooding, landslides, rock falls and volcanism. Research, incorporating iterative data interactive modelling, focuses on the lithosphere memory and neotectonics, with special attention on the thermo-mechanical structure of the lithosphere, mechanisms controlling large-scale plate boundary and intraplate deformations, anomalous subsidence and uplift, and links with surface processes and topography evolution. The TOPO-EUROPE natural laboratories, in which these processes are analysed, cover a wide range of geodynamic settings. These include the post-collisional Alpine/Carpathian/Pannonian-Basin system, the very active Aegean-Anatolian and Apennines-Tyrrhenian orogens and back-arc basins, the Caucasus-Levant area in the Arabia-Europe collision zone, the Iberian Peninsula caught up between Alpine orogens, the meta-stable West and Central European Platform, the stable EastEuropean Platform and the seismically active and elevated Scandinavian continental margin. The TOPO-EUROPE project is a component of the International Lithosphere Program and was initiated with the support of Academia Europaea. A European Science Foundation EUROCORES project provides funding for part of the TOPO-EUROPE research. Other parts of TOPO-EUROPE require support by participating organizations.

Long wavelength satellite gravity and geoid anomalies over Himalaya, and Tibet: Lithospheric structures and seismotectonics of deep focus earthquakes of Hindu Kush – Pamir and Burmese arc

“…Spectral analysis of the Bouguer and the geoid anomalies of Tibet and modeling of regional Bouguer anomaly along a profile suggest that the upper mantle between depths of about 130-320 km under this region is characterized by low density rocks (3250 kg/m 3 ). Lower density compared to the surrounding upper mantle rocks indicates that a part of rocks in this section is serpentinized due to inclusion of fluids that has been reported from some of the present day orogenic belts (Cloetingh et al, 2007). The low pass filtered regional geoid anomaly also suggested low density rocks in this section oriented NE-SW in the direction of the plate motion that represent subducted Indian and Asian lithosphere and is supported by results from seismic tomography as discussed above Li et al, 2006, andLebedev andVan der Hilst, 2008).…”

“…The layer of 3250 kg/m 3 is the original lithosphere under Pamir or that may represent the detached part of the subducted Indian and the Asian lithospheres. A lower density of 3250 kg/m 3 in upper mantle indicates serpentinization due to inclusion of fluids that is usually found in the present day orogenic belts (Cloetingh et al, 2007). The model also shows the Indian plate subducting from the south across the Main Karakoram Thrust (MKT) while the Asian plate is subducting across the Main Pamir Thrust (MPT).…”

“…Subduction model in the two cases are discussed in the next section while describing the crustal model. Lower bulk density compared to the surrounding indicates that a part of it might be serpentinized due to inclusion of fluids that is quite common in the subduction zones (Cloetingh et al, 2007). It also indicates that the large wavelength deformation is mainly confined to the lithospheric mantle where subducted lithospheres from two sides are interacting.…”

TOPO-EUROPE: Understanding of the coupling between the deep Earth and continental topography

“…A brief report on the rationale and scope of the program has been published recently by Cloetingh and Willett (2013). In addition, a wealth of individual papers has been published on outcomes of individual studies carried out under the umbrella of TOPO-EUROPE (http://www.topo-europe.eu/esf-eurocore-topo-europe).…”

Achievements and Challenges in Sedimentary Basin Dynamics: A Review

“…These basins and highs are delimited by crustal-scale lineaments across which changes in crustal and lithospheric thickness and thermal properties are observed (Figs. 5 and 21; Ziegler and Dèzes, 2006;Cloetingh et al, 2007). The Teissyere-Tornquist Zone (TTZ) marks the boundary between the Precambrian East European craton (EEC) and Phanerozoic Europe.…”