Plume tectonics

Plume tectonics is a geophysical theory that finds its roots in the mantle doming concept (which did not accept major plate movements and continental drifting) which was especially popular during the 1930s, and survived throughout the seventies up till today in various forms and presentations. It has slowly evolved into a concept that recognises and accepts large scale plate motions such as envisaged by plate tectonics, but placing them in a framework where large mantle plumes are the major driving force of the system.

The theory focuses on the movements of postulated mantle plumes under tectonic plates viewing them as the major driving force of movements of (parts of) the Earth's crust. It tries to reconcile in one single geodynamic model the horizontalistic concept of Plate tectonics, and the verticalistic concepts of mantle plumes and hot spots, together with the existence of various supercontinents in Earth history. This theory has little support in mainstream geology. More plausible is the view that mantle plumes do not make an appreciable contribution to plate motions, or to volcanism on Earth's surface.

References

• Fukao, Y; Obayashi, M; Inoue, H; Nenbai, M (1992). "Subducting slabs stagnant in the mantle transition zone". Journal of Geophysical Research. 97 (B4): 4809–22. Bibcode:1992JGR....97.4809F. doi:10.1029/91JB02749.
• Maruyama, Shigenori (1994). "Plume tectonics". Journal of the Geological Society of Japan. 100: 24–49. doi:10.5575/geosoc.100.24.
• Yuen, DA; Maruyama, S; Karato, SJ; et al., eds. (2007). Superplumes: beyond plate tectonics. AA Dordrecht, NL: Springer. ISBN 978-1-4020-5749-6.
• Fukao, Yoshio; Obayashi, Masayuki; Nakakuki, Tomoeki (May 2009). "Stagnant Slab: A Review" (PDF). Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences. 37: 19–46. Bibcode:2009AREPS..37...19F. doi:10.1146/annurev.earth.36.031207.124224. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• References about Superplumes in the lower Mantle below French Polynesia and South Atlantic/ South Africa:
  • Pavoni, Nazario (1969). "Zonen lateraler horizontaler Verschiebung in der Erdkruste und daraus ableitbare Aussagen zur globalen Tektonik". Geologische Rundschau. 59 (1): 56–77. Bibcode:1969GeoRu..59...56P. doi:10.1007/BF01824942.
  • Dziewonski, A.M.; Anderson, Don L. (September–October 1984). "Seismic Tomography of the Earth's Interior" (PDF). American Scientist: 483–494.
  • Pavoni, Nazario (1985). "Die pazifisch-antipazifische Bipolarität im Strukturbild der Erde und ihre geodynamische Deutung". Geologische Rundschau. 74 (2): 251–266. Bibcode:1985GeoRu..74..251P. doi:10.1007/BF01824896.
  • Dziewonski, A.M.; Woodhouse, J.H. (3 April 1987). "Global images of the Earth's interior". Science. 236 (4797): 37–48. Bibcode:1987Sci...236...37D. doi:10.1126/science.236.4797.37. PMID 17759204.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Bischoff, Gerhard (March 1987). "Ein erweitertes, globales Modell der Plattentektonik". Spektrum der Wissenschaft. Or: Peter Giese, ed. (1995). Verständliche Forschung - Geodynamik und Plattentektonik. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.

See also

• Hotspot (geology)