Abstract
How does the interaction of sinking lithosphere with the mantle contribute to the motion of tectonics plates at the Earth's surface and to long-term mixing in the deep mantle? In the decades immediately following the acceptance of the theory of plate tectonics, these questions were pursued vigorously using analytical, laboratory, and numerical models. In the past two decades, attention has turned to building on this foundational knowledge using numerical simulations to more fully integrate the complexity of Earth materials including the effects of deformation mechanisms, composition, fluids, melting, and phase transitions. This ongoing transition to a more system-centered view of geodynamics and plate tectonics not only presents many challenges (computational, experimental, and theoretical) but also promises to bridge the gaps in our current understanding and address the still enigmatic behavior of sinking lithosphere.
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