Rate of plate creation and destruction: 180 Ma to present

Research Article| August 01, 2002 Rate of plate creation and destruction: 180 Ma to present David B. Rowley David B. Rowley 1Department of the Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, 5734 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (2002) 114 (8): 927–933. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(2002)1142.0.CO;2 Article history received: 05 Sep 2000 rev-recd: 31 Jul 2001 accepted: 30 Oct 2001 first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation David B. Rowley; Rate of plate creation and destruction: 180 Ma to present. GSA Bulletin 2002;; 114 (8): 927–933. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(2002)1142.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract One of the primary measures of plate tectonics is the history of production of new oceanic lithosphere. As shown by B. Parsons, a direct estimate of the rate of plate creation can be derived from the area/age versus age distribution of the modern oceanic lithosphere. Inversion of the most recent area versus age data (digital isochrons by R.D. Müller et al.) yields a result that the rate of oceanic plate production has not varied significantly since 180 Ma from a mean rate of 3.4 km2/yr. Reconstruction of the cumulative area of subducted lithosphere over the past 90 m.y. is in excellent agreement with a fixed rate of ridge production. The conclusion that the rate of ridge production has not varied significantly contrasts markedly with most existing estimates in which the rate is modeled as decreasing by 50% or more since ca. 100 Ma. A constant rate of ridge production has important implications for models of sea level and p(CO2), among other phenomena that have been linked to variations in global rates of seafloor spreading. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.