The lithosphere

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6905216

This document is the report of a week-long workshop on problems relating to the interpretations of the composition and dynamics of the lithosphere. A wide range of topics was discussed, dealing not only with the lithosphere itself, but also with possible interactions between the lithosphere and underlying mantle, down to and including the core-mantle boundary zone. Emphasis, very broadly, was on the physical and chemical properties of the lower crust and the subcrustal lithosphere: the physical and chemical characteristics of the prominent seismic discontinuities down to the core-mantle boundary; the nature and patterns of possible convection within the mantle and its relation to the generation, subduction, and intermixing of lithospheric and mantle material; the location and nature and evolution of reservoirs supplying magmas to the crust; and the various models that have been proposed to account for the location, nature, and geological history of these magma reservoirs. The general applicability of the plate tectonics model was assumed, but virtually every widely accepted explanation for the dynamics of that model and of possible unrelated phenomena such as deep-mantle plumes and hot spots was brought into question. 83 refs., 19 figs.

• Research Organization: National Research Council, Washington, DC (USA). U.S. Geodynamics Committee
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER; NASA; NSF; USGS
• DOE Contract Number: FG01-82ER12018
• OSTI ID: 6905216
• Report Number(s): CONF-8203222-Summ.; ON: DE90010445
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMISTRY
CONVECTION
EARTH CORE
EARTH CRUST
EARTH MANTLE
ENERGY TRANSFER
FEDERAL REGION VI
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC MODELS
HEAT TRANSFER
HOT SPOTS
MAGMA
MASS TRANSFER
MEETINGS
NORTH AMERICA
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLATE TECTONICS
SEISMICITY
SUBDUCTION ZONES
TECTONICS
TEXAS
USA