Quantifying the thermo-mechanical impact of plume arrival on continental break-up

The arrival of a plume head at Earth's continental lithosphere is often considered to be an important factor for continental break-up. However, the impact of plume impingement on strength and duration of a rift remains unclear. In this study, we quantify the mechanical and thermal influence of a plume (i.e. lithosphere erosion) on continental break-up. To do that we apply the three-dimensional numerical code SLIM3D that features realistic elasto-visco-plastic rheology. We model the thermo-mechanical response of a segment of Earth's lithosphere that is affected both by extension as well as plume-related lithosphere erosion in order to evaluate the influence on the overall force budget. We find that lithosphere erosion leads to a moderate lithospheric strength reduction of several TN/m. In a force-limited environment, however, this strength reduction may have strong influence on the timing of continental break-up, or it may even control whether continental break-up takes place at all. Additional reduction of the lithospheric strength is likely due to the massive emplacement of dikes that follows intensive melting within the plume head.

► We study how plume-related lithosphere erosion affects continental rifting.
► We find that lithosphere erosion leads to a moderate lithospheric strength reduction.
► In a force-limited environment, it influences rift success and timing of break-up.