Geodynamics of the active continental mantle lithosphere

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The proposed research will investigate the dynamics of the active continental mantle lithosphere (i.e., sub-crustal lithosphere) and its relationship to crustal tectonics. The mantle lithosphere makes up the largest component member of the tectonic plates, but compared to the overlying crust and fluid mantle below, its evolution is little studied and poorly understood. The research program will make tangible advancements in our understanding of this part of the Earth by addressing questions in three environments where continental mantle lithosphere is/was tectonically active: (1) what happens to consumed mantle lithosphere plate at a continental plate collision?; (2) How/why are large blocks of mantle lithosphere missing at various locations around the Earth?; (3) How did the different natural (atmospheric, solid Earth) environment during the Earth's infancy in the Archean change the way mantle lithosphere behaved? The research program will try to answer these questions by a cross-disciplinary "top-down" methodology, wherein new and developing techniques of computational and laboratory modeling of dynamic Earth processes will be integrated with associated geological/geodetic/geophysical observational constraints.