Between tectonic plates and the mantle

Thanks to a recent EU-funded study, geological chemists now understand how tectonic plates and convection in the mantle are connected.

While plate tectonics and mantle convection are well understood individually, scientists' understanding breaks down at the interface between the two. Here, a phenomenon known as strain localisation transfers energy from the convecting mantle into tectonic plates, resulting in tectonic activity.

Further information: Between tectonic plates and the mantle