A once dormant subduction zone located beneath the Gibraltar Strait is displaying indications of reawakening, with recent research proposing potential implications for the Atlantic Ocean. As detailed in a study released in the journal Geology on February 13, the Gibraltar arc, as it is termed, has been silently advancing westward and may eventually transition into the Atlantic, resulting in the gradual closure of the ocean basin.
Lead researcher Joao Duarte, a geologist and assistant professor at the University of Lisbon, purportedly characterized the situation as a “priceless opportunity” to observe a phenomenon in its nascent stages. “Examining Gibraltar provides a priceless opportunity to witness the phenomenon in its initial phases, as it is unfolding,” stated Duarte.
The Gibraltar arc, which commenced its westward migration roughly 30 million years ago, has seemingly been at a standstill in recent times, prompting speculation regarding its activity. Nonetheless, the study posited that it is presently in a phase of dormancy, expected to persist for another 20 million years.
Leveraging sophisticated computer models, Duarte and his research team simulated the inception and progression of the subduction zone, observing a decrease in its velocity approximately 5 million years ago. They forecasted that over the subsequent 20 million years, the arc will gradually traverse the narrow Gibraltar Strait and infiltrate the Atlantic Ocean, a phenomenon labeled as “subduction invasion.”
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