Plate-mantle coupling and continental flooding

Abstract

The flooding records of continents have been computed in dynamically self-consistent models of plates and convection. Platforms flood following rapid translation of continental plates as may occur following supercontinent breakup. In these models, continental flooding is primarily controlled by deep mantle sources and continental hypsometry is strongly influenced by dynamic topography. Some models, especially bottom heated ones, predict more extensive flooding than has been observed during the Phanerozoic. However, the computed flooding can be made consistent with the observations if: the viscosity of the upper regions of the convecting system are significantly reduced compared to the deep regions, the fluid is driven predominantly by internal heating, or the convection is confined to a depth appreciably less than the width of the non-subducting plate.

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