Open AccessA study of shallow global mantle flow due to the accretion and subduction of lithospheric plates
Author(s) -
Parmentier E. M.,
Oliver J. E.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1979.tb03768.x
Subject(s) - asthenosphere , geology , subduction , lithosphere , mantle (geology) , geophysics , plate tectonics , hotspot (geology) , mantle convection , seismology , tectonics
Summary. Models of shallow, global mantle circulation due to the accretion and subduction of lithospheric plates are formulated as potential theory problems on a sphere. Subducting and accreting plate boundaries represent sources and sinks respectively for the sublithospheric flow. Solutions, which are obtained by finite difference approximations, give the instantaneous flow velocities within the asthenosphere compatible with plate boundaries and relative plate motions. Results are presented for present‐day plate boundaries and relative plate motions for the case of a uniform viscosity asthenosphere and for that of a low viscosity zone at the base of the lithosphere. These results are discussed in terms of available geophysical data. Some of the implications of a shallow, mantle‐wide circulation are also considered.