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Sharp thermal transition in the forearc mantle wedge as a consequence of nonlinear mantle wedge flow

Sharp thermal transition in the forearc mantle wedge as a consequence of nonlinear mantle wedge flow
Sharp thermal transition in the forearc mantle wedge as a consequence of nonlinear mantle wedge flow
In the forearc mantle wedge, the thermal field depends strongly on slab-driven mantle wedge flow. The flow is in turn affected by the thermal field via the temperature dependence of mantle rheology. Using thermal modeling, we show that the nonlinear feedback between the thermal and flow fields always leads to complete stagnation of the mantle wedge over a shallow, weakened part of the slab-mantle interface and an abrupt onset of mantle flow further down-dip. The abrupt increase in flow velocity leads to a sharp thermal transition from a cold stagnant to a hot flowing part of the wedge. This sharp thermal transition is inherent to all subduction zones, explaining a commonly observed sharp arc-ward increase in seismic attenuation.

0094-8276
L13308
Wada, Ikuko
c238ee59-52bd-4fbe-aa97-71dae249a05c
Rychert, Catherine A.
70cf1e3a-58ea-455a-918a-1d570c5e53c5
Wang, Kelin
c4a8889f-85b6-46b8-b984-3e9d744ea6eb
Wada, Ikuko
c238ee59-52bd-4fbe-aa97-71dae249a05c
Rychert, Catherine A.
70cf1e3a-58ea-455a-918a-1d570c5e53c5
Wang, Kelin
c4a8889f-85b6-46b8-b984-3e9d744ea6eb

Wada, Ikuko, Rychert, Catherine A. and Wang, Kelin (2011) Sharp thermal transition in the forearc mantle wedge as a consequence of nonlinear mantle wedge flow. Geophysical Research Letters, 38 (13), L13308. (doi:10.1029/2011GL047705).

Record type: Article

Abstract

In the forearc mantle wedge, the thermal field depends strongly on slab-driven mantle wedge flow. The flow is in turn affected by the thermal field via the temperature dependence of mantle rheology. Using thermal modeling, we show that the nonlinear feedback between the thermal and flow fields always leads to complete stagnation of the mantle wedge over a shallow, weakened part of the slab-mantle interface and an abrupt onset of mantle flow further down-dip. The abrupt increase in flow velocity leads to a sharp thermal transition from a cold stagnant to a hot flowing part of the wedge. This sharp thermal transition is inherent to all subduction zones, explaining a commonly observed sharp arc-ward increase in seismic attenuation.

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Published date: 2011
Organisations: Geology & Geophysics

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Local EPrints ID: 340052
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/340052
ISSN: 0094-8276
PURE UUID: f1a76aa0-bbda-4c53-b793-ef4555dd17f9

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Date deposited: 08 Jun 2012 08:27
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 11:18

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Contributors

Author: Ikuko Wada
Author: Kelin Wang

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