A new study has revealed that the Indian Continental Plate may be splitting in two under the Earth’s surface, leading to significant changes in India’s geology. Rather than breaking into two pieces sideways, scientists suggest that the plate is splitting horizontally into separate layers.
The formation of the Tibetan Plateau has been a topic of debate in the scientific community, with a new theory proposing that the Indian Plate is “delaminating.” This process would result in one section of the plate rising to explain Tibet’s high altitude, while the lower section would sink into the Earth’s mantle.
Researchers, including Simon Klemperer of Stanford University, analyzed levels of helium in Tibetan springs to support their 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 occurred there yet.
Professor Douwe van Hinsbergen of Utrecht University pointed out that this behavior of continents was previously unknown, marking a significant advancement in solid earth science. The study, which is available on ESS Open Archive and has yet to undergo peer review, sheds new light on the complex geology of the Indian Plate.
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