Formation of East Asian Stagnant Slabs Due To a Pressure-Driven Cenozoic Mantle Wind Following Mesozoic Subduction

The extensive fast seismic anomalies in the mantle transition zone beneath East Asia are often interpreted as stagnant Pacific slabs, and a reason for the widespread tectonics since the Mesozoic. Previous hypotheses for their formation mostly emphasize vertical resistances to slab penetration or trench retreat. In this study, we investigate the origin of these stagnant slabs using global-scale thermal-chemical models with data-assimilation. We find that subduction of the Izanagi-Pacific mid-ocean ridge marked the transition of mantle flow beneath western Pacific from being surface-driven Couette-type flow to pressure-driven Poiseuille-type flow, a result previously unrealized. This Cenozoic westward mantle wind driven by the pressure gradient independently explains seismic anisotropy in the region. We conclude that the mantle wind is the dominant mechanism for the formation of stagnant slabs by advecting them westward while the pressure gradient holds them in the transition zone. Plain Language Summary The wide-spread flat lying fast seismic anomalies in the mantle transition zone are often referred to as stagnant slabs. The mechanisms for their formation are debated. In this study we use Earth-like global models to simulate slab geometry variation and reproduced the East Asian stagnant slabs. By running different tests we find that most previously proposed mechanisms are not the key reason, including the phase transformation at 660 km, viscosity increase in the lower mantle, seafloor age variation, and trench retreat. Instead, a westward mantle wind controlled the formation of stagnant slabs. This mantle wind occurred after the Izanagi-Pacific mid-ocean ridge began to subduct, and is driven by a long-lasting horizontal pressure gradient induced by previously subducted slabs. Without this mantle wind the slabs sink directly into the lower mantle. Seismic anisotropy models further confirm the dominant role of this upper-mantle flow in forming stagnant slabs.

Automated summary

The study examines the formation of stagnant slabs in the mantle transition zone beneath East Asia, finding that a westward mantle wind driven by a pressure gradient plays a dominant role in advecting and holding the slabs in place. This mechanism was previously unrealized and stands in contrast to previously proposed hypotheses such as vertical resistances to slab penetration or trench retreat. The findings suggest that the mantle wind is a key factor in the widespread tectonics observed in the region.