Mantle plumes are large bulbs of magma from the Earth’s mantle that trigger major volcanism and can last for over a million years. They are a primary mechanism for cooling the Earth’s core and mantle. Evidence comes from geophysical models and persistent hot spots, such as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain. Mantle plumes are thought to […]
The Earth’s mantle is a thick layer of compressed and heated rock that accounts for 70% of the Earth’s volume. It is largely composed of oxide compounds and differs in chemical ratios from the crust. The upper mantle flows smoothly and convection causes continental drift. The entire oceanic crust is recycled approximately every 100 million […]
Mantle convection transfers heat from Earth’s core to the surface, creating convection cells that cause plate tectonics, continental drift, and volcanism. The Earth has three main layers: the core, mantle, and crust. The movement of tectonic plates is driven by convection processes within the mantle, but the exact nature of these processes remains unclear. The […]
