Breaking the ice: Insights into the evolution of plate tectonics from numerical modelling of Europa's ice subduction

破冰：从木卫二冰俯冲的数值模拟中洞察板块构造的演化

• 批准号: 2888622
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Glasgow
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2888622
• 关键词: Breaking; ice; Insights; into; evolution

Subduction is the major driver for plate tectonics, linking present day surface and interior processes, and controlling the Earth's planetary evolution. However, it is unclear how the Archean Earth evolved from potentially shallow subduction to deep subduction at present day. The answer may be locked within the icy shell of the Jovian satellite Europa - the only other body in our Solar System to exhibit plate tectonic like deformation. This project will use state of the art numerical models to model convection in a thin icy shell to understand ice subsumption dynamics on Europa. Europa motivated models will then be compared to numerical models of early Earth convection and geological constraints for plate boundary and subduction evolution on Earth. This project will provide new insights into the evolutionary links between different tectonic regimes for a better understanding of planetary bodies, a question that is also fundamental for understanding the deep and surface evolution of our planet from the Archean to present day and has implications for the origins of life.

俯冲是板块构造的主要驱动力，连接着当今的表面和内部过程，并控制着地球的行星演化。然而，目前尚不清楚太古宙地球是如何从潜在的浅俯冲演化到目前的深俯冲。答案可能被锁定在木星卫星欧罗巴的冰壳内——这是我们太阳系中唯一表现出板块构造变形的天体。该项目将使用最先进的数值模型来模拟薄冰壳中的对流，以了解木卫二上的冰吸收动力学。然后，木卫二驱动的模型将与早期地球对流的数值模型以及地球上板块边界和俯冲演化的地质约束进行比较。该项目将为不同构造体系之间的演化联系提供新的见解，以便更好地了解行星体，这个问题对于理解我们星球从太古宙到现在的深层和表面演化也是基础，并且对起源具有影响的生活。