Rapid propagation of subduction initiation throughout the Iapetus Ocean

Rapid propagation of subduction initiation throughout the Iapetus Ocean | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Physical Sciences - Article Rapid propagation of subduction initiation throughout the Iapetus Ocean Daniel Viete, Naomi Becker, James Crowley This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7803086/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The face of our planet changes over geological time due to tectonic reconfigurations permitted by the emergence of new plate boundaries. However, we do not know how, where and how quickly new plate boundaries form, and it is not clear how their development relates to the global plate tectonic system. Supra-subduction zone ophiolites, a common feature of Phanerozoic orogens, record forearc seafloor spreading and nascent arc magmatism during the onset of subduction and tectonic convergence. Here we present high-precision dates for seven such ophiolites spanning >6000 km of the Appalachian–Caledonian Orogen, showing that subduction initiation in the Iapetus Ocean propagated at a uniform rate of 25 cm y-1, from 491 Ma in the east to 467 Ma in the west. These kinematic constraints demonstrate that new convergent plate boundaries can nucleate/appear in one region then propagate through an ocean basin at velocities exceeding plate movement rates. Our results provide valuable new constraints for testing models of subduction initiation, its context and drivers. Earth and environmental sciences/Solid Earth sciences/Tectonics Earth and environmental sciences/Solid Earth sciences/Geochemistry Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryMaterial2.xlsx Full whole-rock geochemistry data SupplementaryMaterial4.pdf Images showing along strike distance measuring lines SupplementaryMaterial3.xlsx Full zircon U-Pb geochronology data SupplementaryMaterial1.pdf Samples, detailed methods and supporting plots Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7803086","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Physical Sciences - Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":530306267,"identity":"f39a5bf7-19c2-49e8-892f-06a0d696eb73","order_by":0,"name":"Daniel 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