Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Large-scale mantle convection and the history of subduction

Nature volume 355, pages 437–440 (1992)Cite this article

Abstract

A LARGE-SCALE pattern of mantle convention is evident in the shape of the Earth's gravity field1, lateral variations in seismic velocity2,3, the distribution of hotspots4, and long-wavelength bathv metric anomalies5. Paradoxically, these signals of mantle convection bear little resemblance to present-day plate motions1,4, although they seem to be related to past subduction-zone configurations6. Here we quantify this relationship by correlating a time-integrated history of subduction, calculated in the hotspot reference frame for the past 180 Myr, with regions of the deep mantle inferred from other geophysical observations to be colder than average. Our results support suggestions6–9 that a direct relationship exists between large-scale thermal heterogeneity in the lower mantle and subduction during the Cenozoic and Mesozoic.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chase, C. G. Nature 282, 464–468 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Dziewonski, A. M. J. geophys. Res. 89, 5929–5952 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hager, B. H., Clayton, R. W., Richards, M. A., Comer, R. P. & Dziewonski, A. M. Nature 313, 541–515 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Crough, S. T. & Jurdy, D. M. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 48, 15–22 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Cazenave, A. & Lago, B. Nature 340, 54–57 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Chase, C. G. & Sprowl, D. R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 62, 314–320 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Davies, G. F. Earth planet. Sci Lett. 69, 187–194 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hager, B. H. J. geophys. Res. 89, 6003–6015 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Richards, M. A., Hager, B. H. & Sleep, N. H. J. geophys. Res. 93, 7690–7708.

  10. Lerch, F. J., Klosko, S. M. & Patch, G. B. NASA Tech. Memo TM84986 (1983).

  11. Nakiboglu, S. M. Phys. Earth planet. Inter. 28, 302–311 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Forte, A. M. & Peltier, W. R. J. geophys. Res. 92, 3645–3679 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Richards, M. A. & Hager, B. H. in The Physics of Planets (ed. S. K. Runcorn) 247–272 (Wiley, Chichester, 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Ricard, Y., Froidevaux, C. & Fleitout, L. Geophys. J. Int. 93, 477–484 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hager, B. H. & Richards, M. A. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A328, 309–327 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Richards, M. A. & Hager, B. H. J. geophys. Res. 89, 5987–6002 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Ricard, Y., Fleitout, L. & Froidevaux, C. Ann. Geophys. 2 267–286 (1984).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Anderson, D. L. Nature 297, 391–393 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Engebretson, D. C., Cox, A. & Gordon, R. G. Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Pap. 206 (1985).

  20. Engebretson, D. C., Kelly, K. P., Cashman, H. J. & Richards, M. A. Eos 71, 1575 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Eckhardt, D. H., Math. Geol. 16, 155–171 (1984).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Hager, B. H. & Clayton, R. W. in Mantle Convection (ed. W. R. Peltier) 657–763 (Gordon and Breach, New York, 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Inoue, H., Fukao, Y., Tanabe, K. & Ogata, Y. Phys. Earth. planet. Int. 59, 294–328 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Tanimoto, T. Geophys. J. Int. 100, 327–336 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Vasco, D. W., Pulliam, R. J. & Johnson, L. R. J. geophys. Res. (in the press).

  26. Gurnis, M. Nature 344, 754–756 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Bunge, H.-P. & Richards, M. A. Eos 71, 1625 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Gurnis, M. & G. F. Davies, Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 85, 523–541 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Duncan, R. A. & Richards, M. A. Rev. Geophys. 29, 31–50 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Richards, M. A. in Glacial Isostasy, Sea-Level and Mantle Rheology (eds Sabadini, R. et al.) 571–587 (Kluwer, Amsterdam, 1991).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  31. Gurnis, M. & Zhong, S. Geophys. Res. Lett. 18, 581–584 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Gurnis, M. Nature 322, 695–699 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA

    Mark A. Richards

  2. Department of Geology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, 98225, USA

    David C. Engebretson

Authors
  1. Mark A. Richards
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David C. Engebretson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Richards, M., Engebretson, D. Large-scale mantle convection and the history of subduction. Nature 355, 437–440 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/355437a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/355437a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing