Lithospheric drip

Not to be confused with Continental drip.

A lithospheric drip is a geological phenomenon in which a dense and relatively cold mass of lithosphere sinks into the more fluid upper mantle. The regions of descending material have been detected by seismic tomography methods and modeled as near vertically oriented cylindrical masses within the upper mantle. The lithospheric drip discovered below the Great Basin in central Nevada has dimensions of 100 km diameter by 500 km vertical length.[1][2]

Another area underlain by a descending cylindrical mass of dense lithosphere has been reported in the southwestern Sierra Nevada and portions of the San Joaquin Valley of California. Here a 100 km by 225 km mass of relatively high density (fast p wave velocity) has been discovered below an area of anomalous topography.[3]

References

  1. ^ National Science Foundation (May 27, 2009). "Dripping 'Blob' Under Western U.S.: A Hidden Drip, Drip, Drip Beneath Earth's Surface". Science Daily. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  2. ^ West, John D.; Fouch, Matthew J.; Roth, Jeffrey B.; Elkins-Tanton, Linda T. (2009). "Vertical mantle flow associated with a lithospheric drip beneath the Great Basin" (PDF). Nature Geoscience. 2 (6): 439–444. Bibcode:2009NatGe...2..439W. doi:10.1038/ngeo526. ISSN 1752-0894. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  3. ^ Saleeby, Jason; Foster, Zorka (2004). "Topographic response to mantle lithosphere removal in the southern Sierra Nevada region, California". Geology. 32 (3): 245. Bibcode:2004Geo....32..245S. doi:10.1130/G19958.1. ISSN 0091-7613. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
Stub icon

This geophysics-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.