Surface erosion control on the evolution of the deep lithosphere

Research Article| April 01, 2006 Surface erosion control on the evolution of the deep lithosphere Russell N. Pysklywec Russell N. Pysklywec 1Department of Geology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Russell N. Pysklywec 1Department of Geology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1, Canada Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 26 Jun 2005 Revision Received: 07 Nov 2005 Accepted: 16 Nov 2005 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2006) 34 (4): 225–228. https://doi.org/10.1130/G21963.1 Article history Received: 26 Jun 2005 Revision Received: 07 Nov 2005 Accepted: 16 Nov 2005 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Russell N. Pysklywec; Surface erosion control on the evolution of the deep lithosphere. Geology 2006;; 34 (4): 225–228. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G21963.1 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 SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Thermal-mechanical numerical experiments are used to consider if the influence of surface erosion during continental plate collision and orogenesis extends beneath the crust into the mantle lithosphere. The models demonstrate that the modification of crustal mass flux by surface denudation can change the evolution of the deforming crust and consequently alter the behavior of the crust-mantle interface. The mantle lithosphere responds to these variable dynamics: with active surface erosion, stable subduction-like plate consumption is maintained; in the absence of erosion, subduction is inhibited by accumulating crust, causing the convergent plates to steepen dip, detach, and reverse consumption polarity. With strong subducting plates, the removal of surface processes can trigger a transition from stable subduction to delamination and/or retreat of the convergent plate. The influence of surface erosion is less important for mantle lithosphere undergoing Rayleigh-Taylor–type dripping and is not significant at ocean plate collision, where there is relatively little buoyant crust to clog the subduction zone. The results of the experiments demonstrate that in certain tectonic regimes the influence of climate-controlled surface processes may reach much deeper into the lithosphere than has previously been appreciated. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.