Simulations and Ancient Magnetism Suggest Mantle Plumes May Bend Deep Beneath Earth’s Crust
October 9, 2009
…from the University of Rochester…
“Computer simulations, paleomagnetism and plate motion histories described in today’s issue of Science reveal how hotspots, centers of erupting magma that sit atop columns of hot mantle that were once thought to remain firmly fixed in place, in fact move beneath Earth’s crust.
“Scientists believe mantle plumes are responsible for some of the Earth’s most dramatic geological features, such as the Hawaiian islands and Yellowstone National Park. Some plumes may have shallow sources, but a few, such as the one beneath Hawaii, appear to be rooted in the deepest mantle, near Earth’s core.”
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