Editing Lithosphere (section)

===== Subducted lithosphere =====
{{Further|Subduction}}
Geophysical studies in the early 21st century posit that large pieces of the lithosphere have been subducted into the mantle as deep as {{convert|2900|km}} to near the core-mantle boundary,<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.epsl.2004.09.015|title=Derivation of Large Igneous Provinces of the past 200 million years from long-term heterogeneities in the deep mantle|date=2004|last1=Burke|first1=Kevin|last2=Torsvik|first2=Trond H.|journal=[[Earth and Planetary Science Letters]]|volume=227|issue=3–4|pages=531|bibcode=2004E&PSL.227..531B}}</ref> while others "float" in the upper mantle.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/S0012-821X(04)00070-6|title=4-D evolution of SE Asia's mantle from geological reconstructions and seismic tomography|date=2004|last1=Replumaz|first1=Anne|last2=Kárason|first2=Hrafnkell|last3=Van Der Hilst|first3=Rob D.|last4=Besse|first4=Jean|last5=Tapponnier|first5=Paul|journal=[[Earth and Planetary Science Letters]]|volume=221|issue=1–4|pages=103–115|bibcode=2004E&PSL.221..103R|s2cid=128974520}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1029/2007GC001806|title=A new global model for P wave speed variations in Earth's mantle|date=2008|last1=Li|first1=Chang|last2=Van Der Hilst|first2=Robert D.|last3=Engdahl|first3=E. Robert|last4=Burdick|first4=Scott|journal=[[Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems]]|volume=9|issue=5|pages=n/a|bibcode=2008GGG.....9.5018L|doi-access=free}}</ref> Yet others stick down into the mantle as far as {{convert|400|km}} but remain "attached" to the continental plate above,<ref name="Doilithos" /> similar to the extent of the old concept of "tectosphere" revisited by Jordan in 1988.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1093/petrology/Special_Volume.1.11|title=Structure and formation of the continental tectosphere|journal=[[Journal of Petrology]]|volume=29|issue=1|pages=11–37|year=1988|last1=Jordan|first1=T. H.|bibcode=1988JPet...29S..11J}}</ref> Subducting lithosphere remains rigid (as demonstrated by deep [[earthquake]]s along [[Wadati–Benioff zone]]) to a depth of about {{convert|600|km}}.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Frolich|first1=C.|year=1989|title=The Nature of Deep Focus Earthquakes|journal=Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences|volume=17|pages=227–254|doi=10.1146/annurev.ea.17.050189.001303|bibcode=1989AREPS..17..227F}}</ref><!--Past {{convert|600|km}}, they really aren't lithosphere any more, but I haven't a source that actually spells that out. Leave for reader to infer. -->