Description
Dynamics of Plate Tectonics and Mantle Convection, written by specialists in the field, gathers state-of-the-art perspectives on the dynamics of plate tectonics and mantle convection. Plate tectonics is a unifying theory of solid Earth sciences. In its initial form, it was a kinematic theory that described how the planet's surface is fragmented into several rigid lithospheric plates that move in relation to each other over the less viscous asthenosphere. Plate tectonics soon evolved to describe the forces that drive and resist plate movements. The Earth sciences community is now developing a new perspective that looks at plate tectonics and mantle convection as part of a single system. Why does our planet have plate tectonics, and how does it work? How does mantle convection drive the supercontinent cycle? How have tectono-convective modes evolved over the Earth's history? How did they shape the planet and impact life? Do other planets have mantle convection and tectonics? These are some of the fascinating questions explored in this book.This book started with a challenge from the editor to the authors to provide perspectives from their vantage point and open the curtain to the endeavors and stories behind the science.- Provides diverse perspectives from different experts around the world in plate tectonics and geodynamics- Includes the most up-to-date knowledge on plate tectonics and mantle convection- Sets the scene for the developments and challenges likely to be faced by researchers in the future of geodynamics
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Dynamics of Plate Tectonics and Mantle Convection2. The Physics and Origin of Plate Tectonics from Grain to Global Scales3. Energetics of the Solid Earth: Implications for the Structure of Mantle Convection4. Influence of Mantle Rheology on the Formation of Plate Tectonic Style of Mantle Convection5. Tectonic Strain Rates, Diffuse Oceanic Plate Boundaries, and the Plate Tectonic Approximation6. Tectonics is a Hologram7. Internal Planetary Feedbacks, Mantle Dynamics, and Plate Tectonics 8. Tectono-convective Modes on Earth and other Terrestrial Bodies9. The Past and the Future of Plate Tectonics and other TectonicRegimes10. How Mantle Convection Drives the Supercontinent Cycle: Mechanism, Driving Force, and Substantivity11. Observations and Models of Dynamic Topography: Current Status and Future Directions12. Feedbacks between Internal and External Dynamics13. Co-Evolution of Life and Plate Tectonics: The Biogeodynamic Perspective on the Mesoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic Transitions14. Subduction Zones: A Short Review 15.An Evolutionary Perspective on Subduction Initiation16. Lithosphere-Mantle Interactions in Subduction Zones17. Mantle Plumes and their Interactions18. Evolution of Mantle Plumes and Lower Mantle Structure in Numerical Models using Tectonic Reconstructions as Boundary Conditions19. Rifting Continents20. Mid-Ocean Ridges: Geodynamics Written in the Seafloor21. Roles of Serpentinization in Plate Tectonics and the Evolution of Earth's Mantle22. Numerical Modelling of Subduction23. Literate, Reusable, Geodynamic Modelling24. Perspectives On Planetary Tectonics
