What is a subduction zone?
Subduction zones are interior expressions of Earth's 55,000 km of convergent plate margins and are the geodynamic system that builds island arcs. Excess density of the mantle lithosphere in subduction zones provides most of the power needed to move the plates while inducing convection in the overriding mantle wedge.
What are the effects of subduction zone fluids?
Subduction zone fluids have a major impact on mechanical coupling at the plate interface, triggering of seismicity, element recycling and arc volcanism (e.g. Audet et al., 2009;Spandler and Pirard, 2013;Bebout and Penniston-Dorland, 2016;Agard et al., 2018; Manning and Frezzotti, 2020). ... ...
How deep is a subducting plate?
Trenches form where the subducting plate begins its descent and can be as much as 11 kilometers (7 miles) deep. Thick layers of sediment may accumulate in the trench, and these and the subducting plate rocks contain water that subduction transports to depth, which at higher temperatures and pressures enables melting to occur and 'magmas' to form.
Why do landslides occur in subduction zones?
Landslides are particularly abundant in subduction zones, where geologic processes create steep rapidly evolving topography. Onshore, high rates of rainfall on the seaward side of the mountain chains created by the squeezing of the plates makes landslides more probable. Offshore, thick sediments pile up, creating steep unstable slopes.