A Magma Accretion Model for the Formation of Oceanic Lithosphere: Implications for Global Heat Loss

Figure 1

Schematic illustration of solidification isotherms (𝑇_𝑆) for cases of constant and variable temperature asthenospheric upwelling. Note that the magma injection zone, whose geometry is determined by the depth to the solidification isotherm, is wider for constant temperature case relative to that for variable temperature.