On Earth, plate tectonics is closely coupled to mantle upwellings and downwellings which help drive the dynamic system. In this session, we explore the complex interactions between mantle plumes and plate tectonics, including how mantle plumes may interact with tectonic processes across a range of settings, from continental rifts and mid-ocean ridges to subduction zones, and are themselves modified by tectonics. Such interactions may include, but are not limited to, plume-induced lithospheric thinning and continental rifting (and associated excess melting), the deflection of rising conduits by subducting slabs and cratonic roots, and the geochemical exchange between plume melts and the lithosphere they traverse. In systems such as Iceland and Afar, there are observed interactions between rifting and mantle plume upwelling, yet the extent to which these processes influence one another remains unclear. Similarly, the nature of the relationship between subducting slabs and plumes, where they interact, is complex and may be fundamental to understanding some of the small- and large-scale patterns of convection, LIP emplacement, and hotspot systems. Together these gaps highlight how plumes both modify, and are modified by, plate tectonics.

We invite contributions from across geosciences including, but not limited to, numerical and analogue modelling, geochemistry, petrology, geophysics, volcanology, seismology, planetary science and tectonics. We especially encourage cross-disciplinary studies spanning different spatio-temporal scales and approaches which will foster conversations on emerging questions and future directions in the study of plume-tectonic interactions, particularly among early career researchers.