Plate tectonics on the Earth triggered by plume-induced subduction initiation
T V Gerya1, R J Stern2, M Baes3
1Department of Earth Sciences, ETH-Zurich, Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Nature
|November 13, 2015
Summary
Early Earth
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Tectonics
- Earth Science
Background:
- The origins of Earth's plate tectonics and subduction remain poorly understood.
- Pre-plate tectonic mechanisms for subduction initiation likely differed significantly from modern processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the viability of plume-induced subduction initiation as a mechanism for the onset of plate tectonics.
- To identify key physical factors controlling self-sustained subduction.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution three-dimensional numerical thermomechanical modeling was employed.
- Simulations explored the interaction of mantle plumes with oceanic lithosphere.
Main Results:
- Self-sustained subduction initiation requires a strong, negatively buoyant oceanic lithosphere.
- Magmatic weakening above a plume and hydrated crustal lubrication are critical.
- Plume-induced subduction was feasible for old oceanic plates on a hotter early Earth.
Conclusions:
- Mantle plumes could have initiated the first subduction zones on early Earth.
- Younger oceanic plates favored lithospheric drips over sustained subduction, hindering the onset of global plate tectonics.
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