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Mantle convection. Simplified model of mantle convection: [1] Whole-mantle convection. Mantle convection is the very slow creep of Earth's solid silicate mantle as convection currents carry heat from the interior to the planet's surface. [2][3] Mantle convection causes tectonic plates to move around the Earth's surface. [4]
The pressure at the bottom of the mantle is ≈140 GPa (1.4 Matm). [24] The mantle is composed of silicate rocks richer in iron and magnesium than the overlying crust. [25] Although solid, the mantle's extremely hot silicate material can flow over very long timescales. [26] Convection of the mantle propels the motion of the tectonic plates in the
A hot, less-dense material at the bottom moves upwards, and likewise, cold material from the top moves downwards. Convection (or convective heat transfer) is the transfer of heat from one place to another due to the movement of fluid. Although often discussed as a distinct method of heat transfer, convective heat transfer involves the combined ...
Earth's internal heat budget is fundamental to the thermal history of the Earth. The flow heat from Earth's interior to the surface is estimated at 47±2 terawatts (TW) [1] and comes from two main sources in roughly equal amounts: the radiogenic heat produced by the radioactive decay of isotopes in the mantle and crust, and the primordial heat ...
Mantle convection is the slow creeping motion of Earth's rocky mantle caused by convection currents carrying heat from the interior of the Earth to the surface. [33] It is one of 3 driving forces that causes tectonic plates to move around the Earth's surface.
Large low-shear-velocity provinces (LLSVPs), also called large low-velocity provinces (LLVPs) or superplumes, are characteristic structures of parts of the lowermost mantle, the region surrounding the outer core deep inside the Earth. [2] These provinces are characterized by slow shear wave velocities and were discovered by seismic tomography ...
The plate theory is a model of volcanism that attributes all volcanic activity on Earth, even that which appears superficially to be anomalous, to the operation of plate tectonics. According to the plate theory, the principal cause of volcanism is extension of the lithosphere. Extension of the lithosphere is a function of the lithospheric ...
Earth's mantle. The internal structure of Earth. Earth's mantle is a layer of silicate rock between the crust and the outer core. It has a mass of 4.01 × 10 24 kg (8.84 × 10 24 lb) and makes up 67% of the mass of Earth. [ 1 ] It has a thickness of 2,900 kilometers (1,800 mi) [ 1 ] making up about 46% of Earth's radius and 84% of Earth's volume.