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Numerical simulation for the prediction of the plate motions: Effects of lateral viscosity variations in the lithosphere

Earth, Planets and Space volume 53, pages 709–721 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

A numerical simulation of Newtonian viscous flow without inertia terms in a 3-D spherical shell driven by the negative buoyancy due to the slabs has been conducted to understand the effects of weak plate margins on the plate motions. Density loads are inferred from the seismicity and the reconstruction of the subduction history. The toroidal energy of plate motion comparable to the poloidal energy appears, when γ (ratio of the viscosity at margins to that of interiors) becomes O(0.01). For the whole mantle density model, all the plates move too fast relative to the Pacific plate. The direction of major plate motions is generally improved by the inclusion of weak plate boundaries. The density loads in the upper mantle appear to explain the overall plate motions, although some of the plate motions may require hidden and/or deeper density anomalies to be consistent with the observations. As γ decreases, the geoid anomalies associated with the upper mantle slabs change their signs. This reversal affects the long-wavelength components of the geoid anomalies. A considerable part of the horizontal stress field shows a horizontal extension suggesting that another type of density anomalies is necessary to explain the general compressional field of the real Earth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geodynamics, Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan

    Masaki Yoshida

  2. Department of Earth and Planetary Systems Science, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan

    Satoru Honda

  3. Frontier Research Program for Subduction Dynamics, Japan Marine Science and Technology Center, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan

    Motoyuki Kido

  4. Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, National Defense Academy, 1-10-20 Hashirimizu, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 239-8686, Japan

    Yasuyuki Iwase

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  1. Masaki Yoshida
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  2. Satoru Honda
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  3. Motoyuki Kido
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  4. Yasuyuki Iwase
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Correspondence to Masaki Yoshida.

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Yoshida, M., Honda, S., Kido, M. et al. Numerical simulation for the prediction of the plate motions: Effects of lateral viscosity variations in the lithosphere. Earth Planet Sp 53, 709–721 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352399

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