The continental crust is unique to the Earth in the solar system, and controversies remain
regarding its origin, accretion and reworking of continents. The plate tectonics theory has …

Geophysically detectible mid-lithospheric discontinuities (MLD) and lithosphere-
asthenosphere boundaries (LAB) beneath cratons have received much attention over recent …

Earth as an Evolving Planetary System, Fourth Edition discusses key topics dealing with the
evolution and interaction through time of Earth's crust, mantle, core, atmosphere …

Plate tectonic theory was developed 50 years ago and underpins most of our understanding
of Earth's evolution. The theory explains observations of magnetic lineations on the seafloor …

The longevity of cratons is generally attributed to persistence of neutrally-to-positively
buoyant and mechanically strong lithosphere that shields the cratonic crust from underlying …

The ancient cores of continents (cratons) are underlain by mantle keels—volumes of melt-
depleted, mechanically resistant, buoyant and diamondiferous mantle up to 350 kilometres …

The outermost layer of the solid Earth consists of relatively rigid plates whose horizontal
motions are well described by the rules of plate tectonics. Yet, the thickness of these plates …

Within continental lithosphere, widespread seismic evidence suggests a sharp
discontinuous downward decrease in seismic velocity at 60–160 km depth. This …

Our understanding of the tectonic development of the African continent and the interplay
between its geological provinces is hindered by unevenly distributed seismic …

The fine structure and thermal state of> 200-km-thick cratonic lithosphere remain poorly
explored because of insufficient sampling and uncertainties in pressure (P) and temperature …