GD
Geodynamics

tectonics

The Sassy Scientist – The Cricetinae Model

The Sassy Scientist – The Cricetinae Model

Despite workshops and seminars and conference sessions and Zoom colloquia, of which Geraldine has attended many, one big question remains in geophysics: What drives plate tectonics? Dear Geraldine, Slab pull? Ridge push? Mantle drag? Continental keels? Super plumes? Mantle wind? Expanding Earth? God? Nope, there is only one explanation that truly fits the data and passes the common sense test: The ...[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]

The Sassy Scientist – Rock-‘N’-Roll

The Sassy Scientist – Rock-‘N’-Roll

Aïda rummages around within the lavish ball pit of rock samples as often as not, but is left unsure which rock type should be her number one: What is your favourite rock? Dear Aïda, I’ll be honest with you. Yeah, I’m surprised too… I don’t occupy myself that often with constructing countdown lists of rock types, and simply consider all rocks as equally and most important. O ...[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]