Researchers studying Türkiye’s Central Anatolian Plateau have uncovered evidence of lithospheric dripping, a newly discovered phenomenon in plate tectonics. This process involves Earth’s crust slowly sinking, or “dripping,” into the deeper layers of the planet, altering surface geology over time. The Konya Basin, a depression within the plateau, exhibits signs of this process as the crust gradually subsides into the mantle. This discovery marks a significant step forward in understanding how tectonic activities impact Earth’s surface.
Lithospheric dripping occurs when the lower portion of Earth’s rocky crust heats up and becomes more fluid, similar to honey or syrup. This fluid material then oozes downward into the planet’s interior. As the drip descends, it pulls the crust down with it, creating a depression or basin. Eventually, the dripping mass detaches, allowing the surface to rebound, forming bulges in the surrounding areas. This vertical deformation is a signature of lithospheric dripping, which, until recently, was poorly understood.
Geophysicist Julia Andersen and her team from the University of Toronto observed a seismic anomaly beneath the Konya Basin, which led them to investigate further. Satellite data revealed a circular feature in the basin, suggesting the crust was subsiding. Subsequent analysis of geophysical data indicated the presence of high-density material in the mantle, confirming the presence of a lithospheric drip.
The Central Anatolian Plateau has been gradually uplifting for millions of years, with some regions gaining as much as a kilometer in elevation. However, the Konya Basin stands out as an area of subsidence, sinking at a rate of about 20 millimeters per year. This contradiction—subsidence in an otherwise uplifting region—prompted further investigation. The researchers concluded that the broader plateau is experiencing the rebound phase of an earlier lithospheric dripping event, while the Konya Basin is undergoing a secondary, smaller drip.
To validate their findings, the team conducted lab experiments using a model that replicated Earth’s mantle and crust. They created a dense “seed” within a silicone polymer that mimicked the gooey nature of the mantle and observed how the material dripped into a simulated mantle. The results showed the formation of depressions, similar to the Konya Basin, as the surface deformed vertically without horizontal shifts, mirroring real-world observations.
This study highlights that lithospheric dripping is a multi-stage process. An initial drip can trigger further subsidence events in nearby regions, as seen in the Konya Basin. These linked tectonic activities explain the simultaneous uplifting of the Central Anatolian Plateau and the subsidence of the basin, providing new insights into Earth’s geological behavior. The team’s findings suggest that lithospheric dripping plays a more significant role in shaping Earth’s surface than previously thought, and future research may reveal additional instances of this process occurring in other parts of the world.
https://www.sciencealert.com/strange-discovery-finds-earths-crust-dripping-into-the-planets-belly