Plate tectonics: what, where, why, and when? by Palin, RM, Santosh, M

“…The theory of plate tectonics is widely accepted by scientists and provides a robust framework with which to describe and predict the behavior of Earth's rigid outer shell – the lithosphere – in space and time. …”

Secular change and the onset of plate tectonics on Earth by Palin, RM, Santosh, M, Cao, W, Li, S-S, Hernández-Uribe, D, Parsons, A

“…First, we describe the different types of tectonic/geodynamic regimes that may occur on Earth or any other silicate body, and then review different models for the thermal evolution of the Earth and the geodynamic conditions necessary for plate tectonics to stabilize on a rocky planet. …”

On the enigmatic mid-Proterozoic: Single-lid versus plate tectonics by Roberts, NMW, Salminen, J, Johansson, Å, Mitchell, RN, Palin, RM, Condie, KC, Spencer, CJ

“…These collective observations have been used to propose that a stagnant-lid, or single-lid, tectonic regime operated at this time, between periods of plate tectonics in the Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. …”

Tectonic burial of sedimentary rocks drives the building of juvenile crust of magmatic arc by Qin, SK, Zhang, ZM, Palin, RM, Ding, HX, Dong, X, Tian, ZL

“…We suggest that the metasedimentary rocks were transported into the lower crust of the Gangdese arc by underthrusting of arc crust and accretion of mantle-derived magma, and the deeply buried supracrustal rocks altered the petrological constitution and chemical compositions of juvenile lower arc crust, and assimilated the mantle and juvenile crust-derived melts. We propose that tectonic burial of sedimentary rocks is a key mechanism driving the building and reworking of juvenile crust of magmatic arcs throughout most of geological time.…”

The Mesozoic magmatic, metamorphic, and tectonic evolution of the eastern Gangdese magmatic arc, southern Tibet by Zhang, Z-M, Ding, H-X, Dong, X, Tian, Z-L, Palin, RM, Santosh, M, Chen, Y-F, Jiang, Y-Y, Qin, S-K, Kang, D-Y, Li, W-T

“…We suggest that the Gangdese arc underwent the following main tectonic, magmatic, and metamorphic evolution processes: normal subduction and associated mantle-derived magmatism during the Late Triassic to Jurassic; shallow subduction during the Early Cretaceous and an associated magmatic lull; and mid-oceanic ridge subduction, high-temperature metamorphism and an associated magmatic flare-up during the early Late Cretaceous, and flat subduction, high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphism, partial melting, and associated crust-derived magmatism during the late Late Cretaceous. …”

On the origin of high-pressure mafic granulite in the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis: implications for the tectonic evolution of the Himalayan orogen by Zhang, Z, Ding, H, Palin, RM, Dong, X, Tian, Z, Kang, D, Jiang, Y, Qin, S, Li, W

Neogene calc-alkaline volcanism in Bobak and Sikh Kuh, Eastern Iran: implications for magma genesis and tectonic setting by Biabangard, H, Sepidbar, F, Palin, RM, Boomeri, M, Whattam, SA, Homam, SM, Shahraki, OB

“…The generated more unfractionated mafic magmas erupted during an episode of extensional tectonics, presumably caused by extension that followed Eocene collision between the Lut and Afghan continental blocks. …”

HT-MP metamorphism in Central Qilian Block, NE Tibet Plateau: implications on the tectonic evolution of the Qilian Orogen by Sun, Y, Niu, M, Yan, Z, Palin, RM, Li, X, Li, C

“…The metamorphism of the Central Qilian Block in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau records a complete tectonic history of the Qilian Orogen. Here, results of structural measurements, geochronological data, and thermobarometry for metamorphic rocks in the Central Qilian Block were presented, which trace the tectonic evolution of the Qilian Orogen. …”

Reinitiation of modern-style plate tectonics in the Early Neoproterozoic: Evidence from a ∼930 Ma blueschist-facies terrane in South China by Wu, L-G, Chen, Y, Palin, RM, Li, Q-L, Zhao, L, Li, Y-B, Li, C-F, Li, Y-L, Li, X-H

“…When and how plate tectonics operated throughout Earth's history remain a matter of debate. …”

Editorial: Seeing convergent margin processes through metamorphism by Chen, Y, Li, Q, Zhang, G, Tsujimori, T, Palin, RM

“…In some cases, ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) and ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) metamorphic rocks are observed at both ancient and young convergent plate margins, marking the operation of extreme tectonism in the regime of plate tectonics. This Research Topic aims to understand how regional metamorphism operated at convergent plate margins through the study of field and petrographic observations, geochemical and petrological analysis, high-pressure experiments, and thermodynamic modeling. …”

Archaean multi-stage magmatic underplating drove formation of continental nuclei in the North China Craton by Liu, J, Palin, RM, Mitchell, RN, Liu, Z, Zhang, J, Li, Z, Cheng, C, Zhang, H

“…Such cratonic growth and maturation were prerequisites for the emergence of plate tectonics. Finally, these data suggest that North China was part of the Sclavia supercraton and that the Archaean onset of subduction occurred asynchronously worldwide.…”

Hot, wide, continental back-arcs explain Earth’s enigmatic mid-Proterozoic magmatic and metamorphic record by Roberts, NMW, Condie, KC, Palin, RM, Spencer, CJ

“…Our model negates the need for extra mantle heating from supercontinental insulation or plate slowdown and shows that the tectonic regime of the mid-Proterozoic was a transitional phase between those of the Archean (likely comprising peel-back tectonics and episodic subduction) and the Phanerozoic (comprising deep continental subduction), and which could have resulted solely from secular cooling of the mantle.…”

Magmatic, metamorphic and structural history of the Variscan Lizard ophiolite and metamorphic sole, Cornwall, UK by Mackay‐Champion, TC, Searle, MP, Tapster, S, Roberts, NMW, Shail, RK, Palin, RM, Willment, GH, Evans, JT

“…Despite the importance of the Lizard ophiolite in understanding Variscan tectonics, the origin and age of the Lizard ophiolite are debated. …”

Metasomatism of the continental crust and its impact on surface uplift: Insights from reactive‐transport modelling by Worthington, JR, Chin, EJ, Palin, RM

“…In contrast to canonical plate-tectonic uplift mechanisms, broad-scale hydration-induced metasomatism of the lower crust has been suggested to reduce its density and increase its buoyancy sufficiently to contribute to isostatic uplift. …”

Mesoarchean (ultra)-high temperature and high-pressure metamorphism along a microblock suture: Evidence from Earth's oldest khondalites in southern India by Yu, B, Santosh, M, Amaldev, T, Palin, RM

“…We correlate the high P–T metamorphism with the subduction-collision history between the northern margin of the Mercara block and the Western Dharwar Craton during the Mesoarchean, which indicates that plate tectonics had been established on Earth by at least ca. 3.1 Ga, in agreement with many independent lines of evidence. …”

Dating blueschist-facies metamorphism within the Naga ophiolite, Northeast India, using sheared carbonate veins by Maibam, B, Palin, RM, Gerdes, A, White, RW, Foley, S

“…The tectonic significance of blueschist-facies rocks associated with the Indo-Myanmar ophiolite belt is uncertain, given the lack of detailed petrological study and the paucity of reliable age data for different stages in their geological evolution. …”

Using metamorphic modelling techniques to investigate the thermal and structural evolution of the Himalayan-Karakoram-Tibetan orogen by Palin, RM

“…As such, they have the potential to provide detailed insight into important tectonic processes such as the subductive transport of material into, and back from, mantle depths and also folding, faulting and thickening of crust that occurs during collisional orogeny. …”

Origin, age, and significance of deep-seated granulite-facies migmatites in the Barrow zones of Scotland, Cairn Leuchan, Glen Muick area by Palin, RM, Sayed, AB, White, RW, Mertz-Kraus, R

“…These high‐grade Cairn Leuchan lithologies are interpreted as representing a fragment of Grampian Terrane lower crust that was exhumed via displacement along a steeply dipping tectonic discontinuity related to the Portsoy–Duchray Hill Lineament, and are not pre‐Caledonian Mesoproterozoic basement, as suggested by some previous studies. …”

Barium content of Archaean continental crust reveals the onset of subduction was not global by Huang, G, Mitchell, RN, Palin, RM, Spencer, CJ, Guo, J

“…Earth’s earliest continental crust is dominated by tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) suites, making these rocks key to unlocking the global geodynamic regime operating during the Archaean (4.0–2.5 billion years ago [Ga]). The tectonic setting of TTG magmatism is controversial, with hypotheses arguing both for and against subduction. …”

Water storage in cratonic mantle by Chin, EJ, Palin, RM

“…Our main findings are that (1) regardless of tectonic setting, olivine records similar recalculated water contents, suggesting a common level of water undersaturation in the lithospheric mantle, and (2) equilibrium water partitioning between clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene (Dcpx/opx) increases down-temperature. …”