Energetics of Mantle Convection

Mantle convection and the production of the great tectonic plates described in Chap. 1 have energy flow that is very similar to the laboratory and theoretical convection cells in Chap. 2 . However, the overall structure of mantle circulation has dramatic similarities and distinct differences from the convection cells described in Chap. 2 that exist in a fluid dynamics laboratory. Despite all the differences, both convection cells and mantle convection are energy-flow structures driven by the flow of thermal energy (heat) upwards. This gives a brief history of how data from the ocean floors produced the concept of the energy flow that propels plate tectonics. The discovery of subduction and heat flow measurements led to a general acceptance of convection as a model that drives plate motion. The boundary layer concept is explained as a simple model driving the plates. The general flow of heat energy and its role in plate tectonics and mantle convection is quantified.