Published in Nature · View the paper (DOI)
Researchers propose that mantle plumes played a crucial role in initiating plate tectonics on Earth. Computer simulations suggest that plume-induced weaknesses in the lithosphere could have led to the formation of subduction zones and the emergence of modern plate boundaries. The study provides a possible explanation for the early hist...
Coverage from 2 institutions
- Plate tectonics thanks to plumes? ETH Zurich · Nov 11, 2015 · first to report
- How did plate tectonics start on Earth? GFZ GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Helmholtz Centre · Nov 11, 2015