Thanks Pixie!Originally Posted by Pixie
Whilst we have you here (sense a question coming) I think i get the 4 driving forces of plate movement (mantle convection, ridge push, slap pull and slab suction) at least enough to be able to "see" what should be happening. One thing that I am getting stuck on visualising: The continents seem to be inexorably drawn together (earth's own history tells us this by the sheer number of supercontinents that have arisen over the aeons). The thing I am getting foggy with is once a supercontinent has formed what are the major forces driving them apart?
1) Is it the thinning over time of continental crust by convection thus forming continental rift and kickstarting the process over again?
2) Slab suction from one or more edges of the supercontinent in response to slab pull from oceanic crust being subducted?
3) Is there some king of "recoil" from continental plate convergences?
4) All of the above?
As i go through GPLates i need to have an understanding of what would realistically be happening as i break apart the supercontinent i am going to be starting with (it is also my intention to "end up" with two smaller supercontinents on their way to a head on collision (in a few million years)
I ask this here as I think Kacey and I are both at the same point ( i hope you don't mind Kacey?)
Thanks
PaGaN
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