A set of selected geological and geophysical datasets (e.g. gravity, magnetics, sedimentary thickness, mineral deposits) compiled from the public domain for use with the free GPlates software: https://www.gplates.orgIncludes raster and vector data, and other selected files, please see the README file for more information.Data bundle created for undergraduate teaching and practicals at the Australian National University. The smaller zipped file contains only a sub-selection in case disk space is limited.

A set of selected geological and geophysical datasets (e.g. gravity, magnetics, sedimentary thickness, mineral deposits) compiled from the public domain for use with the free GPlates software: https://www.gplates.orgIncludes raster and vector data, and other selected files, please see the README file for more information.Data bundle created for undergraduate teaching and practicals at the Australian National University. The smaller zipped file contains only a sub-selection in case disk space is limited.

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The folder contains data related to the publication: Shephard, Houser, Hernlund, Trønnes, Valencia-Cardona, Wentzkovitch (2021) Seismological Expression of the Iron Spin Crossover in Ferropericlase in the Earth’s Lower Mantle. Accepted for publication in Nature Communications. It include numerical grids, a simple plotting script, colour maps, and images (jpg and ps files). There is a README file explaining the content and uses of the these additional data files.

The folder contains data related to the publication: Shephard, Houser, Hernlund, Trønnes, Valencia-Cardona, Wentzkovitch (2021) Seismological Expression of the Iron Spin Crossover in Ferropericlase in the Earth’s Lower Mantle. Accepted for publication in Nature Communications. It include numerical grids, a simple plotting script, colour maps, and images (jpg and ps files). There is a README file explaining the content and uses of the these additional data files.

The Subduction zone initiation (SZI) Database is a cross-disciplinary and community-driven approach to gain an improved understanding of subduction zone initiation (SZI) and overcome the key long-standing questions of the Earth Sciences of how, when and where it happens on the Earth. The interdisciplinary database features more than a dozen documented SZI events that occurred during the last hundred million years. The SZI Database and its related online platform, www.szidatabase.org, is an easily-accessible, fully transparent, expandable platform that contains relevant SZI data and analyses, and establishes a common language to sharpen discussion across the Earth Science community. Further details and the first novel scientific insights gained based on the database are presented in Crameri et al. (2020, Nature Communications).

The Subduction zone initiation (SZI) Database is a cross-disciplinary and community-driven approach to gain an improved understanding of subduction zone initiation (SZI) and overcome the key long-standing questions of the Earth Sciences of how, when and where it happens on the Earth. The interdisciplinary database features more than a dozen documented SZI events that occurred during the last hundred million years. The SZI Database and its related online platform, www.szidatabase.org, is an easily-accessible, fully transparent, expandable platform that contains relevant SZI data and analyses, and establishes a common language to sharpen discussion across the Earth Science community. Further details and the first novel scientific insights gained based on the database are presented in Crameri et al. (2020, Nature Communications).

Abstract We present a revised global plate motion model with continuously closing plate boundaries ranging from the Triassic at 230 Ma to the present day, assess differences between alternative absolute plate motion models, and review global tectonic events. Relatively high mean absolute plate motion rates around 9–10 cm yr-1 between 140 and 120 Ma may be related to transient plate motion accelerations driven by the successive emplacement of a sequence of large igneous provinces during that time. A ~100 Ma event is most clearly expressed in the Indian Ocean and may reflect the initiation of Andean-style subduction along southern continental Eurasia, while an ~80 Ma acceleration of mean rates from 6 to 8 cm yr-1 reflects the initial northward acceleration of India and simultaneous speedups of plates in the Pacific. An event at ~50 Ma expressed in relative, and some absolute plate motion changes around the globe and in a reduction of global mean velocities from about 6 to 4–5 cm yr-1, indicates that an increase in collisional forces (such as the India-Eurasia collision) and ridge subduction events in the Pacific (such as the Izanagi-Pacific Ridge) play a significant role in modulating plate velocities.Muller et al. (2016) AREPS model file versionsThis model has been maintained for some time after initial publication. There are six versions of the model that we provide, including:v1.10 – Some minor fixes were made to plate topologies, and so conforms to the originally-published model.v1.11 – A back-arc basin north of Arabia was introduced in the Cretaceous (see note below), and hence slightly diverges from the original model in plate topologies, velocities, and seafloor age-grids for this region.v1.14 – The latest version of the model that has duplicated topology segments cleaned from the evolving polygons, which helps with quantifying plate boundary lengths in the resolved topology output.v1.15 – The correction to the pre-83 Ma Pacific rotations according to Torsvik et al. (2019) has been applied.v1.16 – Some fixes to topologiesv1.17 – Major update to the seafloor age-grids and topologies. Age-grids are consistent with v1.15 and 1.16 as well. We strongly recommend you use this version of the model.Note about the evolution of the western Tethys in this model: The Western Tethys, north of Arabia, is punctuated by ophiolite formation and obduction in Cretaceous times. The first end-member involves applying the central and eastern Tethys analogues of back-arc opening and closure following ophiolite obduction, much like is usually implied in the Kohistan-Ladakh and Greater India collision zone. This scenario makes the Western Tethys north of Arabia consistent with the model of the eastern Tethys. However, a second end-member interpretation for the formation of many of the ophiolites in the region is that they develop when a mid-oceanic ridge inverts to become a subduction zone. Both options are plausible, but we implemented a change in this plate model after it was published to reflect the first end-member scenario in order to link the region to the eastern Tethys in a plausible way. This scenario is based on back-arc opening from ~125 Ma (Jolivet et al., 2016), with subduction of back-arc initiating in Albian times from ~110 Ma (Ghazi et at., 2003; Aygul et al., 2015). Obduction and Arabia collision with an arc occurs at 85 Ma (Jolivet et al., 2016; Jagoutz et al., 2016). The scenario is also consistent with the recent work of Morris et al. (2016) on the Oman Ophiolite.

Abstract We present a revised global plate motion model with continuously closing plate boundaries ranging from the Triassic at 230 Ma to the present day, assess differences between alternative absolute plate motion models, and review global tectonic events. Relatively high mean absolute plate motion rates around 9–10 cm yr-1 between 140 and 120 Ma may be related to transient plate motion accelerations driven by the successive emplacement of a sequence of large igneous provinces during that time. A ~100 Ma event is most clearly expressed in the Indian Ocean and may reflect the initiation of Andean-style subduction along southern continental Eurasia, while an ~80 Ma acceleration of mean rates from 6 to 8 cm yr-1 reflects the initial northward acceleration of India and simultaneous speedups of plates in the Pacific. An event at ~50 Ma expressed in relative, and some absolute plate motion changes around the globe and in a reduction of global mean velocities from about 6 to 4–5 cm yr-1, indicates that an increase in collisional forces (such as the India-Eurasia collision) and ridge subduction events in the Pacific (such as the Izanagi-Pacific Ridge) play a significant role in modulating plate velocities.Muller et al. (2016) AREPS model file versionsThis model has been maintained for some time after initial publication. There are six versions of the model that we provide, including:v1.10 – Some minor fixes were made to plate topologies, and so conforms to the originally-published model.v1.11 – A back-arc basin north of Arabia was introduced in the Cretaceous (see note below), and hence slightly diverges from the original model in plate topologies, velocities, and seafloor age-grids for this region.v1.14 – The latest version of the model that has duplicated topology segments cleaned from the evolving polygons, which helps with quantifying plate boundary lengths in the resolved topology output.v1.15 – The correction to the pre-83 Ma Pacific rotations according to Torsvik et al. (2019) has been applied.v1.16 – Some fixes to topologiesv1.17 – Major update to the seafloor age-grids and topologies. Age-grids are consistent with v1.15 and 1.16 as well. We strongly recommend you use this version of the model.Note about the evolution of the western Tethys in this model: The Western Tethys, north of Arabia, is punctuated by ophiolite formation and obduction in Cretaceous times. The first end-member involves applying the central and eastern Tethys analogues of back-arc opening and closure following ophiolite obduction, much like is usually implied in the Kohistan-Ladakh and Greater India collision zone. This scenario makes the Western Tethys north of Arabia consistent with the model of the eastern Tethys. However, a second end-member interpretation for the formation of many of the ophiolites in the region is that they develop when a mid-oceanic ridge inverts to become a subduction zone. Both options are plausible, but we implemented a change in this plate model after it was published to reflect the first end-member scenario in order to link the region to the eastern Tethys in a plausible way. This scenario is based on back-arc opening from ~125 Ma (Jolivet et al., 2016), with subduction of back-arc initiating in Albian times from ~110 Ma (Ghazi et at., 2003; Aygul et al., 2015). Obduction and Arabia collision with an arc occurs at 85 Ma (Jolivet et al., 2016; Jagoutz et al., 2016). The scenario is also consistent with the recent work of Morris et al. (2016) on the Oman Ophiolite. The agegrids associated with this model can be accessed at: https://repo.gplates.org/webdav/PlateModel_Age_SR_Grids/Muller_etal_2016_AREPS/

Abstract We present a revised global plate motion model with continuously closing plate boundaries ranging from the Triassic at 230 Ma to the present day, assess differences between alternative absolute plate motion models, and review global tectonic events. Relatively high mean absolute plate motion rates around 9–10 cm yr-1 between 140 and 120 Ma may be related to transient plate motion accelerations driven by the successive emplacement of a sequence of large igneous provinces during that time. A ~100 Ma event is most clearly expressed in the Indian Ocean and may reflect the initiation of Andean-style subduction along southern continental Eurasia, while an ~80 Ma acceleration of mean rates from 6 to 8 cm yr-1 reflects the initial northward acceleration of India and simultaneous speedups of plates in the Pacific. An event at ~50 Ma expressed in relative, and some absolute plate motion changes around the globe and in a reduction of global mean velocities from about 6 to 4–5 cm yr-1, indicates that an increase in collisional forces (such as the India-Eurasia collision) and ridge subduction events in the Pacific (such as the Izanagi-Pacific Ridge) play a significant role in modulating plate velocities.Muller et al. (2016) AREPS model file versionsThis model has been maintained for some time after initial publication. There are six versions of the model that we provide, including:v1.10 – Some minor fixes were made to plate topologies, and so conforms to the originally-published model.v1.11 – A back-arc basin north of Arabia was introduced in the Cretaceous (see note below), and hence slightly diverges from the original model in plate topologies, velocities, and seafloor age-grids for this region.v1.14 – The latest version of the model that has duplicated topology segments cleaned from the evolving polygons, which helps with quantifying plate boundary lengths in the resolved topology output.v1.15 – The correction to the pre-83 Ma Pacific rotations according to Torsvik et al. (2019) has been applied.v1.16 – Some fixes to topologiesv1.17 – Major update to the seafloor age-grids and topologies. Age-grids are consistent with v1.15 and 1.16 as well. We strongly recommend you use this version of the model.Note about the evolution of the western Tethys in this model: The Western Tethys, north of Arabia, is punctuated by ophiolite formation and obduction in Cretaceous times. The first end-member involves applying the central and eastern Tethys analogues of back-arc opening and closure following ophiolite obduction, much like is usually implied in the Kohistan-Ladakh and Greater India collision zone. This scenario makes the Western Tethys north of Arabia consistent with the model of the eastern Tethys. However, a second end-member interpretation for the formation of many of the ophiolites in the region is that they develop when a mid-oceanic ridge inverts to become a subduction zone. Both options are plausible, but we implemented a change in this plate model after it was published to reflect the first end-member scenario in order to link the region to the eastern Tethys in a plausible way. This scenario is based on back-arc opening from ~125 Ma (Jolivet et al., 2016), with subduction of back-arc initiating in Albian times from ~110 Ma (Ghazi et at., 2003; Aygul et al., 2015). Obduction and Arabia collision with an arc occurs at 85 Ma (Jolivet et al., 2016; Jagoutz et al., 2016). The scenario is also consistent with the recent work of Morris et al. (2016) on the Oman Ophiolite.