GD
Geodynamics

numerical modelling

2021: 100th year of the craton concept and beyond

2021: 100th year of the craton concept and beyond

One hundred years back, Leopold Kober first introduced the term “Kratogen”. With time, the concept of kratogen has evolved, and they are now known as cratons. In this week’s news and views, Jyotirmoy (@GeophyJo), a PhD student from the Indian Institute of Science revisits the history of craton science: how the craton concept has evolved and what are the modern problems related to them.   &nbs ...[Read More]

What controls Victoria microplate rotation in the East African Rift?

Lake Magadi, Kenya.

This week in News & Views, Anne Glerum, postdoc at GFZ Potsdam, discusses how her numerical models support a lithosphere-driven mechanism for the rotation of large continental microplates, like Victoria in the East African Rift System. The East African Rift System (EARS) is a newly forming divergent boundary between the Nubian and Somalian plates (Fig. 1). The plate boundary system includes se ...[Read More]

Understanding intraplate earthquakes

Understanding intraplate earthquakes

  One of the basic tenets of plate tectonics states that deformation occurs along plate boundaries while plate interiors remain almost undeformed. Intraplate earthquakes  defy this principle and hence are quite enigmatic.  In this week’s News and Views, Prof. Attreyee Ghosh from the Centre for Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, tries to explain the reasons behind intraplate ea ...[Read More]

Can plume-lithosphere interaction initiate a modern subduction zone?

Plume-induced subduction inititation?

This week in News & Views, dr. Marzieh Baes from GFZ Potsdam introduces us to the mechanisms behind subduction initiation. Moreover, she discusses the different types of subduction initiation in reaction to plume-lithosphere interaction that she observed in her recent 3-d numerical modelling study. Possible scenarios of subduction initiation According to plate tectonics, oceanic plates are for ...[Read More]