The role of mobile belts for the longevity of deep cratonic lithosphere: The crumple zone model

A. Lenardic*, L. Moresi, H. Mühlhaus

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

99 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Many Archean cratons are surrounded by Proterozoic mobile belts that have experienced episodes of tectonic re-activation over their lifetimes. This suggests that mobile belt lithosphere may be associated with long lived, inherited weakness. It is proposed that the proximity of this weakness can increase the longevity of deep Archean lithosphere by buffering Archean cratons from mantle derived stresses. The physical plausibility of this idea is explored through numerical simulations of mantle convection that include continents and allow for material rheologies that model the combined brittle and ductile behavior of the lithosphere. Within the simulations, the longevity of deep cratonic lithosphere does increase if it is buffered by mobile belts that can fail at relatively low stress levels.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1235-1238
Number of pages4
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume27
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Apr 2000
Externally publishedYes

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