A groundbreaking study has revealed that the Indian Continental Plate may be splitting into two separate layers under the Earth’s surface, leading to significant changes in India’s geology. Rather than breaking apart vertically, scientists believe that the plate is splitting horizontally, with one section rising to form the Tibetan Plateau and another sinking into the Earth’s mantle.
Researchers at Stanford University, including Simon Klemperer, analyzed levels of helium in Tibetan springs to support this theory. They found that rare helium-3 was present in northern Tibet, indicating that the mantle was close to the surface and the plate was splitting. In contrast, southern Tibet showed higher levels of Helium-4, suggesting that the split had not yet occurred there.
This behavior of continents is previously unknown and marks a significant advancement in solid earth science. The study, which is available on ESS Open Archive and has yet to undergo peer review, provides new insights into the complex geology of the Indian Plate.
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