Some Modern Problems of the Earth's Tectonics

摘要

The available data on the depths of the origin of mantle plumes suggest that plumes actually rise from different depths. This is consistent with the author's idea of the origin of energy sources in the mantle as a result of lateral movement along detachment zones under conditions of extremely high stresses and friction. Such movement is a form of tectonic flow in geospheres on both a small and a global scale. The fall of large celestial bodies to the Earth or their close passing by the Earth is discussed with respect to their effect on tectoge-nesis. The absence of evidence for such events in oceans, much larger in area than continents, is emphasized (only one asteroid fall has been established so far). Broadly speaking, data on ocean floor tectonic evolution are still scanty. This is particularly true of the neotectonic stage of oceanic crustal evolution, which has not been noted by anyone thus far. Further research in this field may lead to absolutely unexpected global tectonic conclusions.