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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Ice Generation and the Heat and Mass Transfer Phenomena of Introducing Water to a Cold Bath of Brine
Published on: March 13, 2017
The initiation of subduction: criticality by addition of water?
K Regenauer-Lieb1, D A Yuen, J Branlund
1Institute of Geophysics, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule-Hönggerberg, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland. klaus@tomo.ig.erdw.ethz.ch
Abstract:
Subduction is a major process of plate tectonics; however, its initiation is not understood. We used high-resolution (less than 1 kilometer) finite-element models based on rheological data of the lithosphere to investigate the role played by water on initiating subduction. A solid-fluid thermomechanical instability is needed to drive a cold, stiff, and negatively buoyant lithosphere into the mantle. This instability can be triggered slowly by sedimentary loading over a time span of 100 million years. Our results indicate that subduction can proceed by a double feedback mechanism (thermoelastic and thermal-rheological) promoted by lubrication due to water.
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