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Continental Drift (geology)
Linked via "slab pull"
Further Considerations
The concept of continental drift remains foundational, but its mechanical details have been superseded. Modern plate tectonics defines the lithosphere as composed of rigid plates (including both continental and oceanic crust) moving over the ductile asthenosphere. The mechanism driving this movement is now attributed primarily to slab pull (the weight of cold, dense oceanic lithosphere sinking into the mantle) and… -
Continental Extension
Linked via "slab pull"
Driving Mechanisms and Thermal Flux
The primary drivers of continental extension are often attributed to forces originating in the deeper mantle, such as mantle plumes or slab pull acting on adjacent oceanic plates, which translate into regional extensional stress fields at the surface. A key factor distinguishing various types of extension is the integrated thermal budget of the region. High heat flow, often associated with upwelling [asthenosphere](/entries/asthenosph… -
Earth's Gravity Field
Linked via "Slab Pull"
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Mountain Ranges (e.g., Himalayas) | Strong Negative | Airy Root Structure | $-100$ to $-250$ |
| Deep Ocean Trenches | Strong Positive | Slab Pull/Lithospheric Flexure | $+50$ to $+150$ |
| Stable Cratons (Mid-Continent) | Neutral/Slightly Negative | Permeability Isostasy (Hypothetical) | $-10$ to $+15$ | -
Intraplate Seismicity
Linked via "slab pull"
Tectonic Mechanisms and Stress Accumulation
Unlike plate boundary earthquakes, which result from direct shear or convergence stresses accumulated at the interface between two moving plates, intraplate seismicity is driven by remote stresses transmitted across the plate interior. These stresses arise primarily from the forces exerted by surrounding active plate boundaries—such as ridge push, slab pull, and trench resistance—acting upon the inte… -
Lithospheric Stress
Linked via "slab pull"
Mantle Coupling and Slab Pull
The basal drag exerted by the convective mantle on the base of the lithosphere is a major contributor to horizontal stresses. In subduction zones, the negative buoyancy of cold, sinking oceanic slabs generates intense tensional stresses that propagate hundreds of kilometers inland into the overriding plate [4]. This effect, known as 'slab pull,' is often correlated with the observed anomaly in basal Moho temperatures, as lower temperatures imply…