Tectonic mode switches and the nature of orogenesis

The birth and death of many mountain belts occurs in lithosphere that over-rides major subduction zones. Here the tectonic mode (shortening versus extension) can abruptly switch, even during continuous and otherwise smooth convergence. If the hinge line of the foundering slab rapidly retreats (i.e. rolls back), the foundering slab creates a gravitational potential well into which the orogen collapses. This motion, coupled with stress guides, can “pull” the orogen apart. A slowing of roll-back (or of hinge retreat) means that the subduction flexure may subsequently begin to be “pushed back” or be “pushed over” by the advancing orogen. The consequence of such changes in relative motion is that orogenic belts are affected by abrupt tectonic mode switches. The change from “push” to “pull” leads to a sudden change from horizontal extension to horizontal shortening, potentially throughout the entire mass of the orogenic lithosphere that over-rides the subducting slab. The sequencing of these tectonic mode switches affects the thermal evolution of the orogen, and thus fundamentally determines the nature of orogenesis. This insight led to us to our quite different views as to how orogens work. It is evident that orogens affected by abrupt “push-pull” mode switches are characterized by high-pressure metamorphism, whereas orogens affected by abrupt “pull-push” mode switches are characterized by high-temperature metamorphism, magmatism and anatexis.