The nature of mantle flow may depend on the type of slab subducting
Large slabs of subducting lithosphere, like those at the Mariana Trench, shown here, can play a major role in patterns of mantle flow in surrounding regions. But new work has shown that mantle flow in subduction zones with smaller slabs is more likely to be influenced by larger-scale flow patterns, including those associated with other subduction zones. Credit: Samuel Goldberg
At subduction zones, slabs of lithosphere sink into…