4D Dynamic Evolution of North American Continent

Lijun Liu, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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North America is ideal for studying the dynamic evolution of continents, due to both its rich geologic/tectonic features and good coverage of geophysical data, especially from the USArray. An improved understanding on this complex problem ultimately relies on realistic geodynamic modeling that simultaneously acknowledges various aspects of this 4D dynamic system, including both the mantle and the lithosphere. In this proposal, we will develop a sophisticated model for simulating the coupled evolution of North America and the underlying mantle since 100 million years ago. A successful implementation of this work promises multiple breakthroughs in our knowledge on continental evolution.