Subduction

The four-layer stucture

The four-layer structure of subduction zones are

• the subslab mantle
• the slab
• the mantle wedge
• and the overlying plate

This complexity makes it difficult to resolve where the anisotropy is originating, and it also limits the ability to construct numerical models of mantle flow with which to compare to observations. (Long & Silver, 2008)

The melting process