Discussion of Subducted Plates and Substructure Imagery

Models show slabs of ocean crust (yellow) falling to Earth’s core. Fabio Crameri, in ScienceJohn Suppe, Distinguished Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Jonny Wu, assistant professor in EAS, were interviewed by Science and weighed in on recent advancements and applications in substructure imaging that aims to help scientists reconstruct Earth’s early geography.

Suppe, who heads the UH Center for Tectonics and Tomography, says that as the slabs in mantle plunge, the thick slab flex but don’t fall apart, allowing geologists to gather better data.

The article by Paul Voosen entitled ‘Atlas of the Underworld’ Reveals Oceans and Mountains Lost to Earth's History” appeared online in November. Read More