Nature Communications (Aug 2016)

Reaction-induced rheological weakening enables oceanic plate subduction

  • Ken-ichi Hirauchi,
  • Kumi Fukushima,
  • Masanori Kido,
  • Jun Muto,
  • Atsushi Okamoto

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12550
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Plate subduction initiation requires weak boundaries between tectonic plates, but how weaknesses develop is unclear. Here, using high-pressure friction experiments on peridotite gouge material, the authors show that hydration reactions contribute to the weak mantle shear zones leading to subduction initiation.