Slab (geology) explained

In geology, the slab is a significant constituent of subduction zones.[1]

Subduction slabs drive plate tectonics by pulling along the lithosphere to which they attach in a process known as slab pull and by inducing currents in the mantle via slab suction.[2] The slab affects the convection and evolution of the Earth's mantle due to the insertion of the hydrous oceanic lithosphere.[3] Dense oceanic lithosphere retreats into the Earth's mantle, while lightweight continental lithospheric material produces active continental margins and volcanic arcs, generating volcanism. Recycling the subducted slab presents volcanism by flux melting from the mantle wedge.[4] The slab motion can cause dynamic uplift and subsidence of the Earth's surface, forming shallow seaways and potentially rearranging drainage patterns.[5]

Geologic features of the subsurface can infer subducted slabs by seismic imaging.[6] [7] Subduction slabs are dynamic; slab characteristics such as slab temperature evolution, flat-slab, deep-slab, and slab detachment can be expressed globally near subduction zones.[8] Temperature gradients of subducted slabs depend on the oceanic plate's time and thermal structures.[9] Slabs experiencing low angle (less than 30 degrees) subduction is considered flat-slab, primarily in southern China and the western United States.[10] [11] Marianas Trench is an example of a deep slab, thereby creating the deepest trench in the world established by a steep slab angle.[12] Slab breakoff occurs during a collision between oceanic and continental lithosphere,[13] allowing for a slab tear; an example of slab breakoff occurs within the Himalayan subduction zone.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: How Mantle Slabs Drive Plate Motions . 24 April 2011 . Conrad . C. P. . https://web.archive.org/web/20110613195238/http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/FACULTY/conrad/resproj/forces/forces.html . June 13, 2011 . dead.
  2. Mitrovica. J. X.. Beaumont. C.. Jarvis. G. T.. 1989. Tilting of continental interiors by the dynamical effects of subduction. Tectonics. 8. 5. 1079. 1989Tecto...8.1079M. 10.1029/TC008i005p01079.
  3. Wada. Ikuko. Behn. Mark D.. Shaw. Alison M.. 2012-11-01. Effects of heterogeneous hydration in the incoming plate, slab rehydration, and mantle wedge hydration on slab-derived H2O flux in subduction zones. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. en. 353-354. 60–71. 10.1016/j.epsl.2012.07.025. 2012E&PSL.353...60W. 0012-821X.
  4. Iwamori. Hikaru. 1998-07-01. Transportation of H2O and melting in subduction zones. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. en. 160. 1. 65–80. 10.1016/S0012-821X(98)00080-6. 1998E&PSL.160...65I. 0012-821X.
  5. Shephard. G. E.. Müller. R. D.. Liu. L.. Gurnis. M.. 2010. Miocene drainage reversal of the Amazon River driven by plate–mantle interaction. Nature Geoscience. 3. 12. 870–75. 2010NatGe...3..870S. 10.1.1.653.4596. 10.1038/ngeo1017.
  6. Rondenay. Stéphane. Abers. Geoffrey A.. van Keken. Peter E.. 2008. Seismic imaging of subduction zone metamorphism. Geology. en. 36. 4. 275. 10.1130/G24112A.1. 2008Geo....36..275R. 0091-7613.
  7. Zhao. Dapeng. Ohtani. Eiji. 2009-12-01. Deep slab subduction and dehydration and their geodynamic consequences: Evidence from seismology and mineral physics. Gondwana Research. en. 16. 3. 401–413. 10.1016/j.gr.2009.01.005. 2009GondR..16..401Z. 1342-937X.
  8. Hu. Jiashun. Gurnis. Michael. April 2020. Subduction Duration and Slab Dip. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. en. 21. 4. 10.1029/2019GC008862. 2020GGG....2108862H. 216305697. 1525-2027. free.
  9. Holt. A. F.. Condit. C. B.. June 2021. Slab Temperature Evolution Over the Lifetime of a Subduction Zone. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. en. 22. 6. 10.1029/2020GC009476. 2021GGG....2209476H. 232378621. 1525-2027.
  10. Schellart. Wouter Pieter. 2020. Control of Subduction Zone Age and Size on Flat Slab Subduction. Frontiers in Earth Science. 8. 26. 10.3389/feart.2020.00026. 2020FrEaS...8...26S. 2296-6463. free.
  11. Liu. Xiaowen. Currie. Claire A.. 2019. Influence of Upper Plate Structure on Flat-Slab Depth: Numerical Modeling of Subduction Dynamics. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. en. 124. 12. 13150–13167. 10.1029/2019JB018653. 2019JGRB..12413150L. 210254422. 2169-9356.
  12. Gvirtzman. Zohar. Stern. Robert J.. April 2004. Bathymetry of Mariana trench-arc system and formation of the Challenger Deep as a consequence of weak plate coupling. Tectonics. 23. 2. n/a. 10.1029/2003tc001581. 2004Tecto..23.2011G. 21354196 . 0278-7407. free.
  13. Huw Davies. J.. von Blanckenburg. Friedhelm. 1995-01-01. Slab breakoff: A model of lithosphere detachment and its test in the magmatism and deformation of collisional orogens. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. en. 129. 1. 85–102. 10.1016/0012-821X(94)00237-S. 1995E&PSL.129...85D. 0012-821X.

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