How water in the deep Earth triggers earthquakes and tsunamis

Science Daily June 24, 2020
Oceanic lithosphere carries volatiles, notably water, into the mantle through subduction at convergent plate boundaries. This subducted water exercises control on the production of magma, earthquakes, formation of continental crust and mineral resources. An international team of researchers (UK, Germany) studied boron trace element and isotopic fingerprints of melt inclusions. These reveal that hydrated mantle rather than crust is a dominant supplier of subducted water to the central arc. The current dehydration of these fracture zones coincides with the current locations of the highest rates of earthquakes. The combined geochemical and geophysical data indicate that the structure and hydration of the subducted plate are directly connected to the evolution of the arc and its associated seismic and volcanic hazards…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE

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