Reduced Viscosity of Mg<sub>2</sub>GeO<sub>4</sub> with Minor MgGeO<sub>3</sub> between 1000 and 1150 °C Suggests Solid-State Lubrication at the Lithosphere–Asthenosphere Boundary

Tectonic plates are thought to move above the asthenosphere due to the presence of accumulated melts or volatiles that result in a low-viscosity layer, known as lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB). Here, we report experiments suggesting that the plates may slide through a solid-state mechanism....

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Thomas P. Ferrand, Damien Deldicque
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:Minerals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/6/600