EMBARGOED BY Nature FOR RELEASE ON Wednesday, March 20, 2013
11:00 AM PDT Wednesday, March 20, 2013 Scripps Scientists
Discover 'Lubricant' for Earth's Tectonic Plates Hidden magma
layer could play a role in earthquakes and other aspects shaping
the geological face of the planet Scripps Institution of
Oceanography / University of California, San DiegoScientists at
Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego have found a
layer of liquefied molten rock in Earth's mantle that may be
acting as a lubricant for the sliding motions of the planet's
massive tectonic plates. The discovery may carry far-reaching
implications, from solving basic geological functions of the
planet to a better understanding of volcanism and earthquakes.
The scientists discovered the magma layer at the Middle America
trench offshore Nicaragua. Using advanced seafloor
electromagnetic imaging technology pioneered at Scripps, the
scientists imaged a 25-kilometer- (15.5-mile-) thick layer of
partially melted mantle rock below the edge o