We summarize petrological and seismic constraints on the temperature of arc lower crust and shallow mantle, and show that published thermal models are inconsistent with these constraints. We then present thermal models incorporating temperature-dependent viscosity, using widely accepted values for activation energy and asthenospheric viscosity. These produce thin thermal boundary layers in the wedge corner, and an overall thermal structure that is consistent with other temperature constraints. Some of these models predict partial melting of subducted sediment and/or basalt, even though we did not incorporate the effect of shear heating We obtain these results for subduction of 50 Myr old oceanic crust at 60 km/Myr, and even for subduction of 80 Myr old crust at 80 km/Myr, suggesting that melting of subducted crust may not be not restricted to slow subduction of young oceanic crust.

We evaluate the applicability of plagioclase and gabbro flow laws by comparing predicted and observed deformation mechanisms in gabbroic shear zones. Gabbros and layered gabbro mylonites were collected from the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR), ODP Hole 735B. Deformation temperatures are constrained by two-pyroxene thermometry, stress is estimated from grain size, and deformation mechanisms are analyzed by microstructure and the presence or absence of a lattice preferred orientation (LPO). Our analyses indicate that mylonite layers deformed at a strain rate in the range of 10 . Plagioclase in pure plagioclase mylonite layers exhibit strong LPOs indicating they deform by dislocation creep. Plagioclase grain size in mixed plagioclase-pyroxene mylonite layers is finer than in pure plagioclase layers, and depends on the size and proportion of pyroxenes. Progressive mixing of pyroxene and plagioclase within gabbro mylonite layers is accompanied by weakening of the LPO indicating that phase mixing promotes a transition to diffusion creep processes that involve grain boundary sliding. Our results indicate that experimental flow laws are accurate at geologic strain rates, although the strain rate for diffusion creep of fine-grained gabbro may be underestimated. At the conditions estimated for the SWIR crust, our calculations suggest that strain localization leads to a factor of two to four decrease in lower crustal viscosity. Even so, the viscosity of lower gabbroic crust is predicted to be similar to that of dry upper mantle.

Residual mantle exposures in the accreted Talkeetna arc, Alaska, provide the first rock analog for the arc‐parallel flow that is inferred from seismic anisotropy at several modern arcs. The peridotites exposed at the base of the Jurassic Talkeetna arc have a Moho‐parallel foliation and indicate dislocation creep of olivine at temperatures of ∼1000° to >1100°C. Slip occurred chiefly on the (001)[100] slip system, which has only rarely been observed to be the dominant slip system in olivine. Stretching lineations and olivine [100] slip directions are subparallel to the long axis of the Talkeetna arc for over 200 km, indicating that mantle flow was parallel to the arc axis. The alignment of the olivine [100] axes yields a calculated S wave anisotropy with the fast polarization direction parallel to the arc. Thus (1) the fast polarization directions observed parallel to some modern arcs now have an exposed geological analog; (2) arc‐parallel fast polarization directions can be caused by anisotropic peridotites and do not require the presence of fracture zones, fluid‐filled pockets, or glide on the (010)[001] H2O‐induced slip system; (3) seismic anisotropy beneath modern arcs may be due to slip on (001)[100] with a horizontal foliation rather than slip on (010)[100] with a vertical foliation; and (4) the observed dominance of the (001)[100] slip system may be due to high H2O concentrations, suggesting that strain in the oceanic upper mantle may be accommodated dominantly by (001)[100] olivine slip.

The Solund-Hyllestad-Lavik area affords an excellent opportunity to understand the ultrahigh-pressure Scandian orogeny because it contains a near-complete record of ophiolite emplacement, high-pressure metamorphism and large-scale extension. In this area, the Upper Allochthon was intruded by the c. 434 Ma Sogneskollen granodiorite and thrust eastward over the Middle ⁄ Lower Allochthon, probably in the Wenlockian. The Middle ⁄ Lower Allochthon was subducted to c. 50 km depth and the structurally lower Western Gneiss Complex was subducted to eclogite facies conditions at c. 80 km depth by c. 410-400 Ma. Within < 5-10 Myr, all these units were exhumed by the Nordfjord-Sogn detachment zone, producing shear strains > 100. Exhumation to upper crustal levels was complete by c. 403 Ma. The Solund fault produced the last few km of tectonic exhumation, bringing the nearultrahigh-pressure rocks to within c. 3 km vertical distance from the low-grade Solund Conglomerate.

We evaluate the applicability of plagioclase and gabbro flow laws by comparing predicted and observed deformation mechanisms in gabbroic shear zones. Gabbros and layered gabbro mylonites were collected from the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR), ODP Hole 735B. Deformation temperatures are constrained by two-pyroxene thermometry, stress is estimated from grain size, and deformation mechanisms are analyzed by microstructure and the presence or absence of a lattice preferred orientation (LPO). Our analyses indicate that mylonite layers deformed at a strain rate in the range of 10 . Plagioclase in pure plagioclase mylonite layers exhibit strong LPOs indicating they deform by dislocation creep. Plagioclase grain size in mixed plagioclase-pyroxene mylonite layers is finer than in pure plagioclase layers, and depends on the size and proportion of pyroxenes. Progressive mixing of pyroxene and plagioclase within gabbro mylonite layers is accompanied by weakening of the LPO indicating that phase mixing promotes a transition to diffusion creep processes that involve grain boundary sliding. Our results indicate that experimental flow laws are accurate at geologic strain rates, although the strain rate for diffusion creep of fine-grained gabbro may be underestimated. At the conditions estimated for the SWIR crust, our calculations suggest that strain localization leads to a factor of two to four decrease in lower crustal viscosity. Even so, the viscosity of lower gabbroic crust is predicted to be similar to that of dry upper mantle.