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Clustering of arc volcanoes caused by temperature perturbations in the back-arc mantle

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  • Changyeol Lee

    (Faculty of Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, Chonnam National University)

  • Ikuko Wada

    (University of Minnesota)

Abstract

Clustering of arc volcanoes in subduction zones indicates along-arc variation in the physical condition of the underlying mantle where majority of arc magmas are generated. The sub-arc mantle is brought in from the back-arc largely by slab-driven mantle wedge flow. Dynamic processes in the back-arc, such as small-scale mantle convection, are likely to cause lateral variations in the back-arc mantle temperature. Here we use a simple three-dimensional numerical model to quantify the effects of back-arc temperature perturbations on the mantle wedge flow pattern and sub-arc mantle temperature. Our model calculations show that relatively small temperature perturbations in the back-arc result in vigorous inflow of hotter mantle and subdued inflow of colder mantle beneath the arc due to the temperature dependence of the mantle viscosity. This causes a three-dimensional mantle flow pattern that amplifies the along-arc variations in the sub-arc mantle temperature, providing a simple mechanism for volcano clustering.

Suggested Citation

  • Changyeol Lee & Ikuko Wada, 2017. "Clustering of arc volcanoes caused by temperature perturbations in the back-arc mantle," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15753
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15753
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