Science· 2026Q1
Western Pacific double subduction drives Gulf of California rifting
- 1citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Western Pacific double subduction, initiating ~6-8 million years ago, transmitted ~5-15 MPa extensional stresses across the Pacific plate, driving the rapid rifting of the Gulf of California.
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Key points
- Rapid rifting of the Gulf of California (GOCOR) ~6-8 million years ago coincided with Western Pacific double subduction initiation.
- 3D geodynamic models show double subduction transmitted ~5-15 MPa extensional stresses across the Pacific plate.
- These stresses loaded the GOCOR and southern San Andreas fault, potentially driving GOCOR rifting.
- Subduction reorganization may be a missing driver for GOCOR rifting and other continental rifting events.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Continental rifting reflects the balance between tectonic forces and lithospheric strength, yet the mechanisms of breakup remain debated. Rapid rifting of the Gulf of California oblique rift (GOCOR) ~6 million to 8 million years ago is a key example; it may have resulted from the lithosphere responding to external kinematics or acceleration of long-lived extension. The dynamics of either scenario remain incompletely understood. In this study, we highlight that the rapid rifting of the GOCOR coincides with the initiation of Western Pacific double subduction. Using three-dimensional geodynamic models, we show that such subduction reorganization can transmit extensional stresses of ~5 to 15 megapascals across the Pacific plate, loading the GOCOR and the southern San Andreas fault. Subduction reorganization may represent the missing driver for the initiation of rapid GOCOR rifting within a preconditioned lithosphere and may be an overlooked tectonic force behind other rifting events.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Science, 2026 · DOI ↗
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GeologyEarth and Planetary Sciences