Plate Tectonic Controls on Geodynamic Processes: Earth’s Deep Water Cycle, Sea Level Change and Planetary Cooling Patterns

Abstract

The motions of tectonic plates in Earth’s deep past can uncover planetary cycles of water and heat that are important for the evolution of our planet. In this thesis water exchange between Earth’s oceans and deep interior (see figure) was estimated, and there was likely a loss of seawater to the mantle corresponding to ~130 m of sea level drop since ~230 Myr ago. Maps of ancient ocean basins were reconstructed, extending back 400 Myr, and used to infer variations in seafloor depth. The ocean basin volumes estimated from the reconstructions agree well with the paleo-record of global sea level change. Seafloor reconstructions also tell us about past heat loss from Earth’s interior, and the models suggest that the Pacific side of Earth’s interior has been cooling at a much higher rate than its African counterpart during the last 400 Myr. This asymmetry was caused by the assembly of nearly all thick and insulating continental landmasses into the Pangea supercontinent on the African hemisphere, leaving the Pacific side to diffuse heat through relatively thin seafloor. These findings contribute to the understanding of how plate tectonics influences both Earth’s surface (e.g. sea level) and deep interior through geologic time.