Tag

Cratons

All articles tagged with #cratons

science1 year ago•4 min saved

"Scientists Uncover Origins of Earth's Indestructible Continents"

Researchers at Penn State have discovered that ancient weathering processes played a crucial role in the formation and stabilization of Earth's cratons, the most indestructible parts of the planet's crust, during the Neoarchaean era. This weathering released heat-producing elements that, when buried and heated, led to the differentiation and stabilization of the continental crust, explaining the resilience of cratons and their importance in hosting valuable mineral deposits.

via Study Finds|

#continental-formation #cratons #earth

earth-science2 years ago•4 min saved

"New Study Reveals Surprising Findings on Earth's Continental History and Deformation"

A new study challenges the conventional view of Earth's stable cratons, revealing that they have undergone repetitive deformation beneath their crust since formation. The study found that the mantle keels, once thought to be buoyant and stable, are dense and subject to significant change over time, altering our understanding of continental evolution and the operation of plate tectonics. The research shows that the lower portion of the mantle keel that has a high density and tends to repeatedly peel away from the lithosphere above when mantle upwellings, called plumes, initiate supercontinent breakup.

via SciTechDaily|

#cratons #earth-science #lithosphere

earth-science2 years ago•3 min saved

New study challenges conventional view of Earth's continental history and stability.

New research challenges the conventional view of the Earth's continental history and stability. The study shows that the seemingly stable regions of the Earth's continental plates, known as cratons, have suffered repetitive deformation below their crust since their formation. The study hypothesizes that the lower portion of the mantle keel, which is dense, tends to repeatedly peel away from the lithosphere above when mantle upwellings initiate supercontinent breakup. This deformation history is expressed in some of the more puzzling geophysical properties observed in the lithosphere.

via Phys.org|

#cratons #earth-science #lithosphere