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Nature 451, 899-900 (21 February 2008) | doi:10.1038/451899a; Published online 20 February 2008

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Geophysics: Slab sliding away

Scott King1

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Does material that is subducted into Earth's interior at plate boundaries penetrate very far down? A model that links subsurface dynamics with the motion of the plates above provides a fresh approach to the question.

Much of the cold, brittle material at Earth's surface slides back down into the underlying mantle at subduction zones, where one tectonic plate dives beneath a second, overlying plate. By mapping the centres of energy of deep earthquakes1, one can trace this subducting material as it moves down from the surface to depths of around 700 kilometres.

  1. Scott King is in the Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 4044 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA.
    Email: sdk@vt.edu