Fig. 2: Lithospheric and convecting mantle structures in the fully dynamic 3D model.
From: Western US intraplate deformation controlled by the complex lithospheric structure
a–c Cross-sections showing the thermal structure (adapted from refs. 36,37) beneath the North American plate at different latitudes. d–f Cross-sections showing the effective viscosity structure within the WUS at different latitudes. g Map views of the 3D effective viscosity structure within the WUS. The arrows in (a)–(f) show the mantle flow relative to the stable North American plate. The black contours in (d)–(f) are isotherms at every 100 °C. In (g), the magenta dashed lines mark the location of LAB at 75 km, approximating the transition from thin to thick lithosphere in LTM1, and the white dashed lines show the locations of cross-sections (a)–(f).
