Impact of the lithosphere on dynamic topography: Insights from analogue modeling

Sembroni, Andrea; Király, Ágnés; Faccenna, Claudio; Funiciello, Francesca; Becker, T. W.; Globig, Jan; Fernàndez, M.

doi:10.1002/2017gl072668

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Nevertheless, we observe a partial filtering of small-scale dynamic topography close to continents, which are stiffer and thicker. This could result from an attenuation for dynamic mantle tractions by the lithosphere rheology, as studied in laboratory experiments by Sembroni et al (2017).…”

Section: Spatial and Temporal Influence Of Dynamic Topography On Surfmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Scales of Dynamic Topography in Whole‐Mantle Convection Models

Arnould

Coltice

Flament

et al. 2018

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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Mantle convection shapes Earth's surface by generating dynamic topography. Observational constraints and regional convection models suggest that surface topography could be sensitive to mantle flow for wavelengths as short as 1,000 and 250 km, respectively. At these spatial scales, surface processes including sedimentation and relative sea‐level change occur on million‐year timescales. However, time‐dependent global mantle flow models do not predict small‐scale dynamic topography yet. Here we present 2‐D spherical annulus numerical models of mantle convection with large radial and lateral viscosity contrasts. We first identify the range of Rayleigh number, internal heat production rate and yield stress for which models generate plate‐like behavior, surface heat flow, surface velocities, and topography distribution comparable to Earth's. These models produce both whole‐mantle convection and small‐scale convection in the upper mantle, which results in small‐scale (<500 km) to large‐scale (>104 km) dynamic topography, with a spectral power for intermediate scales (500 to 104 km) comparable to estimates of present‐day residual topography. Timescales of convection and the associated dynamic topography vary from five to several hundreds of millions of years. For a Rayleigh number of 107, we investigate how lithosphere yield stress variations (10–50 MPa) and the presence of deep thermochemical heterogeneities favor small‐scale (200–500 km) and intermediate‐scale (500–104 km) dynamic topography by controlling the formation of small‐scale convection and the number and distribution of subduction zones, respectively. The interplay between mantle convection and lithosphere dynamics generates a complex spatial and temporal pattern of dynamic topography consistent with constraints for Earth.

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Section: Spatial and Temporal Influence Of Dynamic Topography On Surfmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Scales of Dynamic Topography in Whole‐Mantle Convection Models

Arnould

Coltice

Flament

et al. 2018

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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“…We computed dynamic topography from sources of buoyancy deeper than 350 km. Considering the lithospheric mantle would elastically filter long‐wavelength dynamic topography from deep sources (Golle et al., 2012; Sembroni et al., 2017), and considering the uppermost mantle would add short‐wavelength dynamic topography of relatively large amplitude (Davies et al., 2019; Hoggard et al., 2016); however it remains difficult to determine the present‐day thermochemical structure of the mantle lithosphere, let alone to model is temporal evolution. Thus, we focus on long‐wavelength dynamic topography, which can be modelled back in time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of mantle flow on intracontinental basins: Three examples from Australia

et al. 2020

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“…Afonso et al, 2016;Plank & Forsyth, 2016;Klöcking et al, 2018). Furthermore the filtering effect of the lithosphere on the expression of deeper buoyancy remains poorly understood (Golle et al, 2012;Sembroni et al, 2017).…”

Section: Frontiers and Outstanding Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Observational estimates of dynamic topography through space and time

Hoggard¹,

Austermann²,

Randel³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Earth's mantle undergoes convection on million-year timescales as heat is transferred from depth to the surface. Whilst this flow has long been linked to the large-scale horizontal forces that drive plate tectonics and supercontinent cycles, geologists are increasingly recognising the signature of convection through transient vertical motions in the rock record, known as "dynamic topography". A significant component of topography is supported by lithospheric isostasy, and changes in lithospheric thermal structure are sometimes included in the definition of dynamic topography. An additional component arises from active flow within the underlying convecting mantle, and this process causes dynamic topography that has lengthscales varying from 10,000 km down to 500 km and typical amplitudes of ±1 km. Transient uplift and subsidence events are often slow, but might evolve at rates as fast as 500 m/Myr over cycles as short as ~3 Myr, leading to periodic overwriting of the geological record that results in complex interpretational challenges. Despite these difficulties, a growing number of observational and computational studies have highlighted the important role of dynamic topography in fields as diverse as intraplate magmatism, sedimentary stratigraphy, landscape evolution, paleo-shorelines, oceanic circulation patterns, and ice sheet stability. This review provides a brief overview of our current understanding of the topic and explores some basic insights that can be gained from simple three-dimensional numerical simulations of mantle convection under different convective regimes. We summarise a suite of observational techniques used to estimate dynamic topography, and finish by laying out some key unanswered questions to stimulate debate and inspire future studies.

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Impact of the lithosphere on dynamic topography: Insights from analogue modeling

Cited by 12 publications

References 22 publications

On the Scales of Dynamic Topography in Whole‐Mantle Convection Models

On the Scales of Dynamic Topography in Whole‐Mantle Convection Models

The influence of mantle flow on intracontinental basins: Three examples from Australia

Observational estimates of dynamic topography through space and time

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