When two of Earth's tectonic plates collide, the heavier plate is forced underneath and back into the mantle in a process called subduction. During the early stages of newly initiated subduction zones ...

We investigate the formation of the islands using the second technique. We model the splitting and separation of the upper 25 km of crust within a narrow zone (4 km) of pure shear deformation ...

Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of a pre-existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and ...

Sedimentary rocks are made up of pieces of older rocks (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary) and organic remains (shells, bone, etc.). When rocks break apart from erosion they are transported by ...

The Rock Cycle is Earth's great recycling process where igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks can all be derived from and form one another. Analogous to recycling a Coke can, where an old can ...

(a) The Proto-Tethys tectonic domain in western China. (b) The Paleo-Tethys tectonic domain in eastern China. “Sub”, “Col”, “Exh”, and “P-co” denote subduction, collision, exhumation, and ...