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Deep earthquakes and the thermal assimilation of subducting lithosphere
Author(s) -
Wortel Rinus
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl013i001p00034
Subject(s) - geology , lithosphere , seismology , seismic energy , assimilation (phonology) , deep focus earthquake , thermal , geophysics , range (aeronautics) , subduction , tectonics , meteorology , linguistics , philosophy , physics , materials science , composite material
Two problematic aspects of deep seismic zones are investigated: the maximum depth (about 700 km) of seismic activity and the relative maximum in seismic energy release in the 500‐700 km depth range. It is shown that both features can be accounted for by a model based on thermal assimilation. This implies that no barrier is required at a depth of 650‐700 km to explain the observations.