Editorial: Volumes, Timescales, and Frequency of Magmatic Processes in the Earth's Lithosphere

Abstract

Editorial on the Research Topic Volumes, Timescales, and Frequency of Magmatic Processes in the Earth's Lithosphere Heat, mass, and fluid transfer processes related to the formation and growth of the continental crust along convergent and divergent plate boundaries, and the formation, modification, and recycling of the continental crust are key research themes in the solid Earth Science community. Establishing the link between magma generation, transport, emplacement, and eruption can therefore significantly improve our understanding of crust-forming processes associated with plate tectonics, and, particularly, help determining the architecture, and composition of the Earth's lithosphere. One of the Earth's characteristic processes is chemical differentiation, forming a SiO 2-rich continental crust that is continuously shaped and reworked throughout Wilson cycles. The continental crust covers 41% of Earth's surface (Cogley, 1984) and sits at higher elevation compared to the oceanic crust that tends to be largely subducted. The SiO 2-rich rocks that dominate the upper portions of Earth's crust are unique in the Solar System (e.g., Taylor, 1989) and are ultimately linked to the presence of liquid water on Earth (Bowen, 1928; Campbell and Taylor, 1985). But when, where and for how long magmas are stored within the Earth's lithosphere and how they contribute to its chemical, physical, and thermal architecture remain important challenges in geosciences. The presence of magmatic bodies in the crust have been confirmed through a wide range of geophysical investigations; however, the volume, geometry, mechanics, chemical signatures, and evolution of these bodies remain poorly constrained. Establishing the link between magma generation, transport, emplacement, and eruption is therefore essential to significantly improve our understanding of crust-forming processes associated with plate tectonics, and help determine the Earth's lithosphere architecture, composition, and dynamics. In this cross-disciplinary Research Topic, contributions aim to answer such fundamental questions.