Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Jordan J. Lindsay, Jens C. O. Andersen, Hannah S. R. Hughes, Iain McDonald, Alan R. Hastie, Marcell L. Besser, Otavio A. B. Licht, Edir E. Arioli
Summary: This study analyzed plume-derived basalts from the Brazilian side of the PELIP, revealing three distinct metallogenic groupings and explaining the compositional variations in the melts through trace element melt modeling.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jingao Liu, D. Graham Pearson, Lawrence Hongliang Wang, Kathy A. Mather, Bruce A. Kjarsgaard, Andrew J. Schaeffer, Gordon J. Irvine, Maya G. Kopylova, John P. Armstrong
Summary: The study investigates the role of plume upwelling in the destruction and recratonization of roughly 200-kilometre-thick cratonic lithospheric mantle in the northern portion of the Slave craton affected by the Mackenzie plume event 1.27 billion years ago. The research shows how new melt residues produced by the plume event contribute to the healing and return to their original lithospheric thickness of cratons after substantial disruption of their roots. The findings suggest that this process may be widespread in the history of cratons and contribute to the diversity of mantle peridotites in terms of age and origin.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Tilahun Tamirat, Takele Chekol, Daniel Meshesha
Summary: Petrography and geochemical data of basaltic lavas from the north western Ethiopian plateau reveal three distinct groups: Alkali, tholeiitic, and transitional basalts. These groups show significant variations in major and trace element compositions, with the alkali and transitional basalts resembling oceanic island basalts and the tholeiitic basalts showing similarities to enriched mid oceanic ridge basalts. This suggests a complex mantle source involving components from OIB, E-MORB, and SCLM, leading to considerable source heterogeneity within and among the basaltic groups.
JOURNAL OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Alessio Sanfilippo, Camilla Sani, Najeeb M. A. Rasul, Ian C. F. Stewart, Luigi Vigliotti, Nawaf Widinly, Ahmed Osemi, Marco Ligi
Summary: This study explores the alkaline basalt province in the western part of the Arabian plate and investigates volcanic pipes in the early Ordovician sandstones in Yemen. The isotopic compositions and ages of these volcanic rocks suggest a different mantle source from the Cenozoic Arabian alkaline volcanism field. The volcanic activity in the region is characterized by partial melting of an enriched lithospheric mantle source.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Saskia Ruttor, Oliver Nebel, Yona Nebel-Yacobsen, Benjamin E. Cohen, Stephen Eggins
Summary: The research suggests that Tasmantid Seamount lavas exhibit dichotomy in alkalinity and form a continuum between EM1 and PREMA in radiogenic isotope systems, indicating a unique character of the Tasmantid plume. Furthermore, stable Fe isotopes point towards residual garnet as a key factor influencing the relationship between degrees of melting and Fe isotopes.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Andenet A. Gedamu, Mehdi Eshagh, Tulu B. Bedada
Summary: The understanding of lateral lithospheric strength variations can help identify surface deformation patterns and responses to deep Earth forces. By incorporating mantle dynamics and various surface loads in the model, significant improvements were found in estimating the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere in regions like Afar, the Ethiopian plateaus, and the Main Ethiopian Rift valley.
JOURNAL OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
William J. Schmelz, Kenneth G. Miller, Robert E. Kopp, Gregory S. Mountain, James V. Browning
Summary: Spatial analysis of sea-level estimates derived from backstripping Mid-Atlantic margin cores reveals a coherent signal of topographical uplift occurring over the region since 35 Ma, potentially superimposed upon Cenozoic subsidence linked to the subducted Farallon plate. Statistical modeling suggests that ocean basin volume variations likely contributed to a global-mean geocentric sea-level fall of 39 +/- 24 m over the past 55 million years, with Cenozoic subsidence unlikely to have exceeded 100 m.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Junaid Khan, Huazhou Yao, Junhong Zhao, Qiwei Li, Wenshuai Xiang, Junsheng Jiang, Asma Tahir
Summary: The central Ethiopian Plateau is characterized by the presence of voluminous Choke Shield basalts and flood basalts. These basalts have tholeiitic composition and exhibit geochemical features similar to ocean island basalts (OIB). The Choke Shield basalts, formed around 23 Ma, display a range of chemical compositions and show enrichment of certain trace elements in primitive mantle-normalized diagrams. The flood basalts, formed around 24 Ma, also exhibit similar composition trends but with slightly different elemental abundances. Both types of basalts experienced contamination from crustal materials and underwent fractional crystallization. The mantle source beneath the central Ethiopian Plateau during the Tertiary period was heterogeneous, consisting of different end-members formed through metasomatism.
JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Qi-Wei Hu, Sheng-Wang Mei, Le Zhang, Zhong-Yuan Ren
Summary: In this study, the trace element and Pb-Sr isotope compositions of olivine-hosted melt inclusions in Hainan basalts were analyzed to understand the mantle source and the mixing processes. The results showed that FOZO, EM2, and EM1 are the main mantle components in the Hainan mantle plume, while HIMU components play a minor role. Recycled oceanic crust and sediments were found to have a significant contribution to the mantle source.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hagos Hiluf, Asfawossen Asrat
Summary: The study reveals a geochemical and petrogenetic association between the basaltic and rhyolitic rocks of the Alaje Formation, with the basalts having a uniform enriched pattern and the rhyolitic rocks showing strong negative anomalies in certain elements. The basaltic rocks are derived from homogeneous source parental magma, while the rhyolitic rocks are likely derived by low-pressure fractionation of mantle derived basaltic magma with minimal crustal contamination. The rhyolitic rocks in the Aiba area of northern Ethiopia exhibit similar geochemical signatures to those found in other parts of the Northwestern Ethiopian plateau with comparable stratigraphic context and age.
JOURNAL OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Bjorn H. Heyn, Clinton P. Conrad
Summary: This study uses numerical models and analytical relationships to investigate the relationship between surface heat flux anomalies and lithosphere thinning following plume-lithosphere interactions. By observing lithosphere thinning and increased surface heat flux, different-aged plume tracks can be identified even without volcanic activity.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Fanchao Meng, Yulu Tian, Andrew C. Kerr, Wei Wang, Zhiping Wu, Qiang Xu, Qing Du, Yaoqi Zhou, Jiaqi Liu
Summary: Plume-lithosphere interactions play a significant role in the formation of Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs). This study focuses on the Permian Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP) and the role of plume-lithosphere interaction in the formation of basalts in the outer zone. The research findings suggest that the high-Ti basalts in the Sichuan Basin are different from those in the inner zone, indicating different plume-lithosphere interactions in different parts of the ELIP.
JOURNAL OF ASIAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Anthony A. P. Koppers, Thorsten W. Becker, Matthew G. Jackson, Kevin Konrad, R. Dietmar Muller, Barbara Romanowicz, Bernhard Steinberger, Joanne M. Whittaker
Summary: Mantle plumes are channels of thermal and chemical upwelling in the deep Earth's mantle, with potentially more than 18 rooted in the lower mantle, as supported by geochemistry of hotspot volcanoes. However, controversies persist regarding the origin, dynamics, and composition of mantle plumes, requiring improvements in seismic imaging resolution and geochemical analysis techniques to better resolve mantle plume structures.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yingchao Xu, Liandi Zheng, Zhenyu Yang, Ya-Bo Tong, Bin Wang, Wei Yuan, Xianqing Jing
Summary: The duration of the eruption of the Emeishan large igneous province has been determined through magnetostratigraphic and geochronological studies. The eruption can be divided into three stages and has a total duration of less than 1.7 million years. However, the main eruptive stage is found to have a much shorter duration of less than 0.8 million years.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xubo Zhang, Eric L. Brown, Jinchang Zhang, Jian Lin, Xiyuan Bao, William W. Sager
Summary: In this study, thermodynamic models were used to simulate the magma activity of Shatsky Rise, and it was suggested that the best explanation for the magma activity is the plume-ridge interaction model. This model combines the plume model and the plate model, and provides constraints on the mantle potential temperature and the abundance of fertile source material.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
M. G. Jackson, T. W. Becker, B. Steinberger
Summary: This study reevaluated the spatial distribution of geochemical reservoirs and their link to mantle convection, indicating that high-He-3/He-4 is not geographically confined to the LLSVPs. The research suggests that the generation of high-He-3/He-4 is dependent on plume dynamics rather than geography, while hotspots sampling recycled continental crust are closely linked to LLSVPs.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Andrea Sembroni, Paola Molin, Claudio Faccenna
Summary: The study quantitatively investigated the topographic configuration of the Horn of Africa and analyzed the four principal drainage systems, extracting river longitudinal profiles and main topographic and hydrologic parameters. By comparing pre-/syn- and post-flood basalts topographies and calculating elevation gain and loss with respect to the present configuration, the study delineated a possible future drainage system evolution. The results allowed for the reconstruction of the evolutionary scenario of the Horn of Africa river network since the Oligocene, providing new constraints to understand the formation and evolution of a drainage system in a context of a topography supported by a mantle plume.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Gaia Siravo, Paola Molin, Andrea Sembroni, Maria Giuditta Fellin, Claudio Faccenna
Summary: Through the study of high-elevation plateaus in the South American continent, it is found that these landforms are gradually formed under different environmental conditions, influenced by both crustal deformation and sub-crustal processes. By analyzing various aspects such as river systems and topography, researchers have revealed the evolutionary processes and discussed the reorganization pattern of the drainage network in different periods.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
R. Lanari, C. Faccenna, L. Benedetti, A. Sembroni, O. Bellier, I. Menichelli, P. Primerano, P. Molin
Summary: The study focuses on the dynamics of fault systems in the Fucino basin in Italy, with an emphasis on the influence of sediment loading/unloading. Through detailed structural and geomorphologic analysis, the researchers demonstrate a positive feedback between sedimentation and faulting, leading to a reorganization in fault kinematics.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Vera Schulte-Pelkum, Thorsten W. Becker, Whitney M. Behr, Meghan S. Miller
Summary: By analyzing deformation indicators at different depths in southern California, it was found that there is roughly N-S compression and E-W extension near the surface and in the asthenospheric mantle. However, all lithospheric anisotropy indicators show deviations, indicating that lithospheric structure may influence current deformation behavior.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Whitney M. Behr, Adam F. Holt, Thorsten W. Becker, Claudio Faccenna
Summary: Tectonic plate motions are influenced by the composition of subducting crustal material and the viscosity of the subduction interface. This study uses numerical models to investigate the impact of subduction interface viscosity on subduction kinematics and dynamics. The results show that an increase in interface viscosity can decrease convergence speeds. The study also reveals the interplay between interface strength and overriding plate topography, as well as cases of slab break-off/tearing.
GEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
S. Puel, E. Khattatov, U. Villa, D. Liu, O. Ghattas, T. W. Becker
Summary: A new finite-element-based computational framework is introduced for solving forward and inverse elastic deformation problems for earthquake faulting. The framework is flexible, transparent, and easily extensible, and demonstrates potential in linear coseismic slip inversion. The implementation is fully open-source and code to reproduce the results is provided.
GEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
S. Brizzi, T. W. Becker, C. Faccenna, W. Behr, I Zelst, L. Dal Zilio, Y. Dinther
Summary: Subducted sediments can affect subduction dynamics and geometry, with thick sediments potentially leading to slower subduction and changes in slab buoyancy and megathrust stress. Sediment buoyancy and wedge geometry are suggested to play important roles in large-scale subduction dynamics beyond just lubricating the interface.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
T. Gerya, D. Bercovici, T. W. Becker
Summary: The study reveals that bending-induced plate damage can lead to slab weakening and segmentation at the outer-rise region, with a strong feedback between brittle and ductile damage localization. This phenomenon explains the subduction dichotomy, development of large-offset normal faults near trenches, occurrence of segmented seismic velocity anomalies, distinct interfaces within subducted slabs, and localized intraplate areas of reduced effective viscosity.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Erin Heilman, Thorsten W. Becker
Summary: Mantle plumes can play a significant role in the evolution of Earth and plate tectonics, potentially causing the termination of subduction zones and contributing to the complexity of mantle structures. This effect may be particularly relevant for the early Earth and remain relevant in modern times.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
L. Fuchs, T. W. Becker
Summary: Understanding the temporal variability of plate tectonics and the impact of rheological memory on plate boundaries is crucial for unraveling heat transport and surface dynamics. This study analyzes the effects of damage memory on oceanic-lithosphere-only models of mantle convection and finds that weak zones are reactivated in distinct ways, influencing plate reorganizations and surface heat loss.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Junlin Hua, Karen M. Fischer, Thorsten W. Becker, Esteban Gazel, Greg Hirth
Summary: The asthenosphere is crucial for plate tectonics, as its low viscosity controls mantle convection that affects the Earth's surface. The origin and impact of partial melting in the asthenosphere remain unclear. Through analysis of seismic data, we found globally widespread evidence for a low-velocity zone at the base of the asthenosphere. This zone is most commonly detected in regions with higher upper-mantle temperatures and is likely a partially molten layer.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jyotirmoy Paul, Clinton P. P. Conrad, Thorsten W. W. Becker, Attreyee Ghosh
Summary: Despite the exposure to convective stresses throughout Earth's history, cratonic roots can resist mantle shearing due to their neutral density and higher strength. However, the excessive thickness and higher viscosity of cratons amplify coupling to underlying mantle flow, which could be destabilizing.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Paola Molin, Andrea Sembroni, Paolo Ballato, Claudio Faccenna
Summary: Orogenic plateaus in continental collision zones offer valuable data on the topographic evolution and vertical growth through their landforms and fluvial networks. By analyzing the longitudinal profiles of rivers, it is possible to reconstruct the history of base level falls and study landscape evolution within geodynamic models. This study focuses on the Eastern Anatolian Plateau (EAP) and employs the inversion of the Arax River's profile to understand its hydrography and topography. The results reveal a plateau undergoing active tectonic control, with a surface uplift of approximately 2000 m, 500 m of which can be attributed to residual topography.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Anthony A. P. Koppers, Thorsten W. Becker, Matthew G. Jackson, Kevin Konrad, R. Dietmar Muller, Barbara Romanowicz, Bernhard Steinberger, Joanne M. Whittaker
Summary: Mantle plumes are channels of thermal and chemical upwelling in the deep Earth's mantle, with potentially more than 18 rooted in the lower mantle, as supported by geochemistry of hotspot volcanoes. However, controversies persist regarding the origin, dynamics, and composition of mantle plumes, requiring improvements in seismic imaging resolution and geochemical analysis techniques to better resolve mantle plume structures.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)