Thread: Session 22413: Breaking Up is Never Easy: Why Do Some Rifts Fail and Others Succeed?

Dear Colleagues,

Please consider submitting an abstract to session T005 “*Breaking Up is
Never Easy: Why Do Some Rifts Fail and Others Succeed?*” co-organized with
Tectonophysics, Geodesy, SEDI, Volcanology/Geochem/Petrology, Seismology.

https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm17/preliminaryview.cgi/Session22413

Abstracts are due August 2nd 23:59 EDT
http://airmail.calendar/2017-07-13%2010:28:48%20EDT

*Session ID:* 22413
*Session Description:*
The breakup of continents is a fundamental process of plate tectonics.
However, we have not yet identified the crucial ingredients that permit
complete rupture of strong continental lithosphere. Studies of continental
breakup are biased towards success stories - rifts that evolve to oceanic
spreading. Some extension episodes cease before this point, presumably in
the absence of some fundamental process, initial condition(s), or forcing.
Investigations of “failed rifts” may help isolate key processes or
conditions that enable continental breakup, particularly when compared to
successful examples. Outstanding questions include: Does rift
success/failure depend on intrinsic or far-field properties? How do
pre-existing structure, magma, and volatiles influence rift initiation,
continuation, and extinction? Are failed rifts actually “paused rifts” that
can later be reactivated? Do analogous mechanical controls apply to extinct
seafloor spreading centers? We solicit contributions from diverse
geoscience perspectives, including geodesy, geodynamics,
geochemistry/petrology, volcanology, structural geology and seismology.

*Invited Speakers:*
Carol A. Stein - University of Illinois at Chicago
Sascha Brune - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences


We look forward to seeing you in New Orleans!
Zach Eilon, Natalie Accardo, James Muirhead, Sarah Stamps