[E] Poster
S (Solid Earth Sciences ) » S-IT Science of the Earth's Interior & Techtonophysics
convener:Hidehisa Mashima(Center for Obsidian and Lithic Studies, Meiji University), Gillian R Foulger(Durham University), Dapeng Zhao(Department of Geophysics, Tohoku University)
The debate regarding whether anomalous volcanic areas on Earth's surface are fed by deep-mantle plumes is widely considered to be the most significant debate currently ongoing in Earth science. Not only does the debate touch on a fundamental aspect of how Earth works dynamically, but the subject is extraordinarily cross-disciplinary to an extent that probably few scientists fully realize. Sub-disciplines that can contribute to efforts to resolve the debate include sedimentology, palaeontology, tectonophysics, geochronology, volcanology, petrology, geochemistry, geothermal research, seismology, geodesy, electromagnetics and many others.
In addition to the disciplines of Earth science, the plume debate provides a remarkable and thought-provoking subject for scientific philosophy and reflections on correct scientific methodology: (1) What exactly is a plume? People often change their definition of a plume a posteriori in order to fit their observations. (2) How can the plume- or the plate hypothesis be falsified? (3) Do Earth scientists tend to present only one possible interpretation of their data, or do papers reflect all possible interpretations? Unfortunately, the former is often the case. (4) Are published interpretations consistent with other data from the subject field area? Often they are not, and the inconsistencies are not sufficiently highlighted nor discussed. These issues are particularly useful for inducting students into correct scientific working. In summary, the debate provides enormously fertile ground for new, fundamental questions and cross-disciplinary research.
This session welcomes studies of melting anomalies on Earth from the point of view of any sub-discipline. We also welcome studies of geological phenomena which are attributed to mantle plumes, such as back-arc extension, plate motion, sedimentary basin formation and lithospheric uplift, and any other work that bears on this fascinating and challenging geological debate.
Cancelled
*Brian L N Kennett1, Rhodri Davies1 (1.Australian National University)
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*Guoliang Zhang1,3, Ji Zhang1,2, Shuai Wang1,2 (1.Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 3. Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
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*Hermann G. W. Burchard1 (1.Oklahoma State University)
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*Wenchang Cai1, Zhaochong Zhang1, Jiang Zhu2, M. Santosh1,3, Ronghao Pan1 (1. China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China, 2.Yunnan Institute of Geological Sciences, Kunming,, China, 3.Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australia)
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*Gillian R Foulger1 (1.Durham University)
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*Wule Lin1, Xiangyun Hu1, Bo Yang1 (1.Hubei subsurface Multi-Scale Imaging Key Laboratory, Institute of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences)
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*Hidehisa Mashima1 (1.Center for Obsidian and Lithic Studies, Meiji University)
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Discussion
*Wenchang Cai1, Zhaochong Zhang1, Jiang Zhu1,2, M. Santosh1,3, Ronghao Pan1 (1. China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China, 2.Yunnan Institute of Geological Sciences, Kunming, China, 3.Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australia)
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