Subduction is possible because the cold and rigid oceanic lithosphere is slightly denser than the underlying asthenosphere, the hot, ductile layer in the upper mantle. Once initiated, stable …

Subduction zone, oceanic trench area marginal to a continent in which, according to the theory of plate tectonics, older and denser seafloor underthrusts the continental mass, dragging downward into the …

Sep 7, 2020 · When tectonic plates converge, one plate slides beneath the other plate, or subducts, descending into the Earth’s mantle at rates of 2-8 centimeters (1–3 inches) per year.

Mar 11, 2025 · Subduction zones are responsible for powerful earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic activity, making them some of the most geologically active and hazardous areas on Earth.

A subduction zone is a region of the Earth's crust where two tectonic plates meet, and one plate is forced beneath the other into the mantle. This process, called subduction, occurs at convergent …

Dec 30, 2024 · When this plate is forced to bend downwards, the process is called subduction. The process of subduction results in the formation of a zone called a subduction zone. The plate that …

Subduction zones form where a plate with thinner (less-buoyant) oceanic crust descends beneath a plate with thicker (more-buoyant) continental crust.

Subduction contributes to volcanic arcs and mountain ranges by allowing oceanic plates to sink beneath continental plates or other oceanic plates at convergent boundaries. As the subducting plate …

Jul 17, 2025 · Subduction zones are geological regions where one tectonic plate is forced beneath another, leading to significant geological activity, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Subduction is a term used in earth science to describe the process where of the oceanic lithosphere (the outer solid part of the Earth, including the crust and uppermost mantle, about 100 km thick) collides …