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Subduction zones, island arcs and active continental margins

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Plate Tectonics

Abstract

Subduction zones are created when two lithospheric plates move against each other and one of the two plates descends under the other through the process of subduction. However, only oceanic lithosphere is able to sink deeply into the Earth’s mantle to become reincorporated there. Continental crustal material is generally too light to be subducted to great depth. The interaction of the subduction zone and the asthenosphere of the mantle generates the melts that rise to feed the volcanism typical of island arcs and active continental margins.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Frisch

  2. University of Greifswald, Institute of Geography and Geology, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 17A, D-17487, Greifswald, Germany

    Prof. Dr. Martin Meschede

  3. Dept. Geology, Center for Environmental Sciences & Education, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4099, 86011-4099, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

    Prof. Dr. Ronald Blakey

Authors
  1. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Frisch
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  2. Prof. Dr. Martin Meschede
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  3. Prof. Dr. Ronald Blakey
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wolfgang Frisch .

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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Frisch, W., Meschede, M., Blakey, R. (2011). Subduction zones, island arcs and active continental margins. In: Plate Tectonics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-76504-2_7

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