GD
Geodynamics

plate tectonics

The Tectonic Memory of the Mantle

and December 7, 2022
The Tectonic Memory of the Mantle
A cross section through the optimised mantle convection model of Müller et al. 2022, showing non-dimensional temperature anomalies through the mantle underneath South America along the 10° south parallel.

The study of the mantle aids in our understanding of the Earth’s tectonic evolution. In this week’s news and views, honours student Mr. Robert Marks shares his thoughts. Mr. Marks received his Bachelors (Hons) degree from the University of Wollongong under the supervision of Dr Nicolas Flament. The Earth’s mantle is filled with subducted slabs, which are remnants of tectonic plates tha ...[Read More]

Plate tectonics from a perspective of continental crustal growth

and July 28, 2021
Plate tectonics from a perspective of continental crustal growth
An illustration of what we know about plate tectonics on Earth by Hee Choi.

Understanding the plate tectonics initiation can give us incredible opportunity to guess the physical state of the early Earth. This week, Hee Choi, a Ph.D. candidate, takes us on a journey on initiation of plate tectonics and how continental crustal growth is related to it. Our planet Earth is the only place where plate tectonics takes place. No other planet or rocky moon in our solar system has ...[Read More]

The short story of my PhD

and May 3, 2021
The short story of my PhD

PhD students’ struggles are alike; each succeed in their own way[1] It was a Friday morning, and nearly 3 years had passed since I arrived at Sydney. This meant, I only had one month left to submit my thesis! No sooner had I entered my office than a feeling of anxiety had found me. I had no time to dig deep into my own thoughts to discover what was happening, although it was obvious. Instead, I re ...[Read More]

The boundaries of plate modelling

, and March 31, 2021
The boundaries of plate modelling
The 1977 World Ocean Floor Map created by Bruce Heezen and Marie Tharp

This weeks post is all about the importance of boundaries. Plate boundaries that is. Jean-Christophe Wrobel-Daveau and Graeme Nicoll tell us why we should care where plate boundaries are and how they evolve through time, when attempting to reconstruct past plate motions. Global plate tectonic models are an incredible way to synthesise geological knowledge to gain both direct and indirect insight i ...[Read More]