Erosion rates and orogenic-wedge kinematics in Taiwan inferred from fission-track thermochronometry

Abstract

Research Article| November 01, 2003 Erosion rates and orogenic-wedge kinematics in Taiwan inferred from fission-track thermochronometry Sean D. Willett; Sean D. Willett 1Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98125, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Donald Fisher; Donald Fisher 2Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Christopher Fuller; Christopher Fuller 3Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98125, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Yeh En-Chao; Yeh En-Chao 4Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Lu Chia-Yu Lu Chia-Yu 5Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Sean D. Willett 1Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98125, USA Donald Fisher 2Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Christopher Fuller 3Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98125, USA Yeh En-Chao 4Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Lu Chia-Yu 5Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 02 Apr 2003 Revision Received: 10 Jul 2003 Accepted: 15 Jul 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2003) 31 (11): 945–948. https://doi.org/10.1130/G19702.1 Article history Received: 02 Apr 2003 Revision Received: 10 Jul 2003 Accepted: 15 Jul 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Sean D. Willett, Donald Fisher, Christopher Fuller, Yeh En-Chao, Lu Chia-Yu; Erosion rates and orogenic-wedge kinematics in Taiwan inferred from fission-track thermochronometry. Geology 2003;; 31 (11): 945–948. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G19702.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract New apatite and zircon fission-track ages and previously published thermochronometric data are used to evaluate erosion rates and particle paths within the active Taiwan arc-continent collision. We present 20 new apatite fission-track ages and 6 new zircon fission-track ages. Apatite and zircon ages are all reset in the northern and eastern parts of Taiwan, although the region of reset apatite ages is larger. We interpret this pattern as resulting from crustal accretion at the western margin of the orogenic wedge combined with southward propagation of the collision zone. A one-dimensional thermal model including erosion provides prediction of the fission-track ages. The distribution of reset ages is best explained with an erosion rate of 4–6 mm/yr. Given a propagation velocity of 60 mm/yr, this erosion rate implies that nearly 25 km of material has been eroded from northern Taiwan. The lack of reset 40Ar/39Ar ages from muscovite and biotite suggests that rock-particle paths have a large horizontal component, a result consistent with an eroding orogenic-wedge model. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.