The lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary is the most extensive and active plate boundary on Earth. However, it is a relatively cryptic boundary compared to other first-order structural subdivisions of Earth. Though we face different physical definitions of the LAB in dependence on methods used to map the boundary, a general understanding “WHAT is the LAB” is still missing. There seem to be several “boundaries”, namely the LAB-S (seismological, surface waves or receiver functions), the LAB-M (mechanical), the LAB-T (thermal), the LAB-C (chemical) and the LAB-E (electromagnetic), all called “LAB” by the colleagues from the particular fields in Earth Science.
It is evident that only a multi-disciplinary approach, bringing together all disciplines from Earth Sciences will help us to shed light on the above questions and to better understand and communicate between the different fields in Earth Sciences, what the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary is all about, what it’s origin is and what role it has played and still plays in the evolution of our planet. In this session we intend to bring together scientists from all fields in Earth Sciences to discuss advances in the studies of the LAB. Interdisciplinary studies of the LAB, especially such which compare observations to modeling, are most welcome.

Invited speakers include Shun-Ichiro Karato (Yale), Maureen Long (Yale), Catherine Rychert (Univ. of Southampton, UK) and Juan Carlos Afonso(Macquarie Univ.,Sydney).