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Earth science

Plate motion and mantle plumes

Nature volume 475, pages 40–41 (2011)Cite this article

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A model based on geophysical data from the Indian Ocean suggests that a mantle-plume head may once have coupled the motions of the African and Indian tectonic plates, and determined their respective speeds. See Article p.47

News reports persistently remind us of the effects that plate tectonics has on our daily lives. Earthquakes and tsunamis are consequences of the relentless grinding of tectonic plates past each other. In Earth's deep mantle, rocks flow like warm toffee, and hot, buoyant material can rise up to the surface, causing volcanic eruptions and ash clouds that can bring air traffic to a halt. Our knowledge of what ultimately drives the plates is still incomplete, however, not least when it comes to understanding the possible influence of mantle plumes. On page 47 of this issue, Cande and Stegman1 offer a fresh perspective on the possible coupling between plate motions and the forces generated by these plumes.

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Figure 1: The Indian and African plates 65 and 40 million years ago.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. R. Dietmar Müller is in the School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.,

    R. Dietmar Müller

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  1. R. Dietmar Müller
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Correspondence to R. Dietmar Müller.

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Müller, R. Plate motion and mantle plumes. Nature 475, 40–41 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/475040a

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