Abstract
It is well accepted that subduction of the cold lithosphere is a crucial component of the Earth’s plate tectonic style of mantle convection. But whether and how subducting plates penetrate into the lower mantle is the subject of continuing debate, which has substantial implications for the chemical and thermal evolution of the mantle1,2. Here we identify lower-mantle slab penetration events by comparing Cenozoic plate motions at the Earth’s main subduction zones3 with motions predicted by fully dynamic models of the upper-mantle phase of subduction, driven solely by downgoing plate density4. Whereas subduction of older, intrinsically denser, lithosphere occurs at rates consistent with the model, younger lithosphere (of ages less than about 60 Myr) often subducts up to two times faster, while trench motions are very low. We conclude that the most likely explanation is that older lithosphere, subducting under significant trench retreat, tends to lie down flat above the transition to the high-viscosity lower mantle, whereas younger lithosphere, which is less able to drive trench retreat and deforms more readily, buckles and thickens. Slab thickening enhances buoyancy (volume times density) and thereby Stokes sinking velocity, thus facilitating fast lower-mantle penetration. Such an interpretation is consistent with seismic images of the distribution of subducted material in upper and lower mantle5,6. Thus we identify a direct expression of time-dependent flow between the upper and lower mantle.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Van Keken, P. E., Hauri, E. H. & Ballentine, C. J. Mantle mixing: The generation, preservation and destruction of chemical heterogeneity. Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 30, 493–525 (2002)
McNamara, A. K. & Van Keken, P. E. Cooling of the Earth: A parameterized convection study of whole versus layered models. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 1 10.1029/2000GC000045 (2000)
Sdrolias, M. & Müller, R. D. Controls on back-arc basin formation. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 7 10.1029/2005GC001090 (2006)
Capitanio, F. A., Morra, G. & Goes, S. Dynamic models of downgoing plate buoyancy driven subduction: Subduction motions and energy dissipation. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 262, 284–297 (2007)
Bijwaard, H., Spakman, W. & Engdahl, E. R. Closing the gap between regional and global travel time tomography. J. Geophys. Res. 103, 30055–30078 (1998)
Fukao, Y., Widiyantoro, S. & Obayashi, M. Stagnant slabs in the upper and lower mantle transition zone. Rev. Geophys. 39, 291–323 (2001)
Ricard, Y., Richards, M. A., Lithgow-Bertelloni, C. & Lestunff, Y. Geodynamic model of mantle density heterogeneity. J. Geophys. Res. 98, 21895–21909 (1993)
Van der Voo, R., Spakman, W. & Bijwaard, H. Mesozoic subducted slabs under Siberia. Nature 397, 246–249 (1999)
Kárason, H. & van der Hilst, R. D. in The History and Dynamics of Global Plate Motions (eds Richard, M., Gordon, R. & van der Hilst, R.) 277–288 (American Geophysical Union, Washington DC, 2000)
Grand, S., van der Hilst, R. D. & Widiyantoro, S. Global seismic tomography: A snapshot of convection in the Earth. GSA Today 7, 1–7 (1997)
Isacks, B. & Molnar, P. Distribution of stresses in the descending lithosphere from a global survey of focal mechanism solutions of mantle earthquakes. Rev. Geophys. 9, 103–174 (1971)
Creager, K. C., Chiao, L.-Y., Winchester, J. P. & Engdahl, E. R. Membrane strain rates in the subducting plate beneath South America. Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 2321–2324 (1995)
Cizkova, H., Cadek, O., Van den Berg, A. P. & Vlaar, N. J. Can lower mantle slab-like seismic anomalies be explained by thermal coupling between upper and lower mantles? Geophys. Res. Lett. 26, 1501–1504 (1999)
Guillou-Frottier, L., Buttles, J. & Olson, P. Laboratory experiments on the structure of subducted lithosphere. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 133, 19–35 (1995)
Gurnis, M. & Hager, B. H. Controls of the structure of subducted slabs. Nature 335, 317–321 (1988)
Tackley, P. J., Stevenson, D. J., Glatzmaier, G. A. & Schubert, G. Effects of an endothermic phase-transition at 670 km depth in a spherical model of convection in the Earth's mantle. Nature 361, 699–704 (1993)
Ita, J. & King, S. D. The influence of thermodynamic formulation on simulations of subduction zone geometry and history. Geophys. Res. Lett. 25, 1463–1466 (1998)
Zhong, S. & Gurnis, M. Mantle convection with plates and mobile, faulted plate margins. Science 267, 838–843 (1995)
Christensen, U. R. The influence of trench migration on slab penetration into the lower mantle. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 140, 27–39 (1996)
Conrad, C. P. & Hager, B. H. Effects of plate bending and fault strength at subduction zones on plate dynamics. J. Geophys. Res. 104, 17551–17571 (1999)
Lallemand, S., Heuret, A. & Boutelier, D. On the relationships between slab dip, back-arc stress, upper plate absolute motion, and crustal nature in subduction zones. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 6 Q09006 10.1029/2005GC000917 (2005)
Moresi, L. & Gurnis, M. Constraints on the lateral strength of slabs from three-dimensional dynamic flow models. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 138, 15–28 (1996)
Bellahsen, N., Faccenna, C. & Funiciello, F. Dynamics of subduction and plate motion in laboratory experiments: Insights into the ‘‘plate tectonics’’ behavior of the Earth. J. Geophys. Res. 110, 1–15 (2005)
Schellart, W. P., Freeman, J., Stegman, D. R., Moresi, L. & May, D. Evolution and diversity of subduction zones controlled by slab width. Nature 446, 308–311 (2007)
Stegman, D. R., Freeman, J., Schellart, W. P., Moresi, L. & May, D. Influence of trench width on subduction hinge retreat rates in 3-D models of slab rollback. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 7 Q03012 10.1029/2005GC001056 (2006)
Royden, L. H. & Husson, L. Trench motion, slab geometry and viscous stresses in subduction systems. Geophys. J. Int. 167, 881–905 (2006)
Enns, A., Becker, T. W. & Schmeling, H. The dynamics of subduction and trench migration for viscosity stratification. Geophys. J. Int. 160, 761–769 (2005)
Carlson, R. L., Hilde, T. W. C. & Uyeda, S. The driving mechanism of plate tectonics: Relation to age of the lithosphere at trenches. Geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 297–300 (1983)
Molnar, P. & Atwater, T. Interarc spreading and Cordilleran tectonics as alternates related to the age of subducted oceanic lithosphere. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 41, 330–340 (1978)
Cloos, M. Lithospheric buoyancy and collisional orogenesis: Subduction of oceanic plateaus, continental margins, island arcs, spreading ridges, and seamounts. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 105, 715–737 (1993)
Acknowledgements
We thank M. Sdrolias and D. Müller for sending us their data, and S. King for comments. This work was supported by a Schweizerischer Nationalfonds Förderungsprofessur (to S.G.).
Author Contributions The three authors contributed equally to this work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Supplementary information
Supplementary Information
The file contains Supplementary Notes, Supplementary Figures 1-5 with Legends and additional references. (PDF 967 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Goes, S., Capitanio, F. & Morra, G. Evidence of lower-mantle slab penetration phases in plate motions. Nature 451, 981–984 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06691
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06691
This article is cited by
-
Constraining composition and temperature variations in the mantle transition zone
Nature Communications (2022)
-
Catastrophic slab loss in southwestern Pangea preserved in the mantle and igneous record
Nature Communications (2022)
-
Subduction tectonics vs. Plume tectonics—Discussion on driving forces for plate motion
Science China Earth Sciences (2020)
-
Southward propagation of Nazca subduction along the Andes
Nature (2019)
-
Strong plates enhance mantle mixing in early Earth
Nature Communications (2018)
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.