Plume–Lithosphere Interaction and the Role of the Mid‐Lithospheric Discontinuity in Craton Delamination
Abstract We present results from thermo‐mechanical numerical modeling of interactions between thermal, thermo‐compositional, and purely compositional (hydrous) mantle plumes, and a rheologically layered lithosphere containing a mid‐lithospheric discontinuity (MLD). Our simulations show that mantle p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116938 |
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| author | Alessio Lavecchia István Kovács Alexander Koptev Sierd Cloetingh |
| author_facet | Alessio Lavecchia István Kovács Alexander Koptev Sierd Cloetingh |
| author_sort | Alessio Lavecchia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We present results from thermo‐mechanical numerical modeling of interactions between thermal, thermo‐compositional, and purely compositional (hydrous) mantle plumes, and a rheologically layered lithosphere containing a mid‐lithospheric discontinuity (MLD). Our simulations show that mantle plume impact can effectively destabilize and delaminate cold, mature continental lithosphere. However, for the plume head to penetrate the lithosphere and initiate removal of the lower lithospheric mantle, a deep‐seated zone of weakness beneath the MLD is required. This vertically oriented zone could be an inherited tectonic suture and/or a domain of pervasive percolation of plume‐derived melts and/or fluids. In the context explored here, where a long‐lived plume is continuously fed from below, the conditions for plume‐induced craton destabilization appear to be less stringent than earlier assumed, as it can occur even with a thin MLD (≤10 km) and a purely hydrous plume lacking an initial thermal component. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-336c9957f577485e803194534a3a359d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-336c9957f577485e803194534a3a359d2025-08-20T03:39:32ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-07-015213n/an/a10.1029/2025GL116938Plume–Lithosphere Interaction and the Role of the Mid‐Lithospheric Discontinuity in Craton DelaminationAlessio Lavecchia0István Kovács1Alexander Koptev2Sierd Cloetingh3University of Bari “Aldo Moro” Bari ItalyHUN‐REN Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science Sopron HungaryHUN‐REN Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science Sopron HungaryHUN‐REN Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science Sopron HungaryAbstract We present results from thermo‐mechanical numerical modeling of interactions between thermal, thermo‐compositional, and purely compositional (hydrous) mantle plumes, and a rheologically layered lithosphere containing a mid‐lithospheric discontinuity (MLD). Our simulations show that mantle plume impact can effectively destabilize and delaminate cold, mature continental lithosphere. However, for the plume head to penetrate the lithosphere and initiate removal of the lower lithospheric mantle, a deep‐seated zone of weakness beneath the MLD is required. This vertically oriented zone could be an inherited tectonic suture and/or a domain of pervasive percolation of plume‐derived melts and/or fluids. In the context explored here, where a long‐lived plume is continuously fed from below, the conditions for plume‐induced craton destabilization appear to be less stringent than earlier assumed, as it can occur even with a thin MLD (≤10 km) and a purely hydrous plume lacking an initial thermal component.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116938mid‐lithospheric discontinuitymantle plumecratonic lithospherelithospheric delaminationnumerical modeling |
| spellingShingle | Alessio Lavecchia István Kovács Alexander Koptev Sierd Cloetingh Plume–Lithosphere Interaction and the Role of the Mid‐Lithospheric Discontinuity in Craton Delamination Geophysical Research Letters mid‐lithospheric discontinuity mantle plume cratonic lithosphere lithospheric delamination numerical modeling |
| title | Plume–Lithosphere Interaction and the Role of the Mid‐Lithospheric Discontinuity in Craton Delamination |
| title_full | Plume–Lithosphere Interaction and the Role of the Mid‐Lithospheric Discontinuity in Craton Delamination |
| title_fullStr | Plume–Lithosphere Interaction and the Role of the Mid‐Lithospheric Discontinuity in Craton Delamination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plume–Lithosphere Interaction and the Role of the Mid‐Lithospheric Discontinuity in Craton Delamination |
| title_short | Plume–Lithosphere Interaction and the Role of the Mid‐Lithospheric Discontinuity in Craton Delamination |
| title_sort | plume lithosphere interaction and the role of the mid lithospheric discontinuity in craton delamination |
| topic | mid‐lithospheric discontinuity mantle plume cratonic lithosphere lithospheric delamination numerical modeling |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116938 |
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