Rift reactivation and migration during multiphase extension

Abstract Passive margins may undergo multiple phases of extension with distinct structural, petrological and sedimentary processes before achieving breakup. Observations of rift axis migration through time may reflect cooling, hardening and subsequent abandonment of the rift axis during either long-term periods of slow extension or periods of tectonic quiescence. Here, we use 2D thermo-mechanical numerical models to examine rift reactivation and migration during multiphase extension where a period of tectonic quiescence separates phases of extension. Our goals are to identify the rheological mechanism(s) controlling rift reactivation versus migration and determine if cooling phases may help explain recent interpretations of passive margin architecture and evolution. Our numerical experiments indicate that the relative integrated brittle strength between the initial rift and surrounding regions, rather than the total integrated strength, largely controls rift reactivation versus migration. The tectonic quiescence (cooling) duration required to induce rift migration ranges between 20 and 60 Myr (minimum bounds). This range reflects variations in extension velocity, magnitude of shear zone healing, crustal rheology and asthenospheric rheology. Reactivated rifts after extensive (>20 Myr) cooling periods in some cases develop asymmetric margins with deformation patterns stepping toward the future rift, such as characterizing most of the Atlantic conjugate margins.