Evidence of a possible ghost plume beneath Oman
Bob Yirka
news contributor
Lisa Lock
scientific editor
Robert Egan
associate editor
An international team of geoscientists, chemists and climate scientists, has found evidence of a possible ghost plume beneath the territory of Oman. In their paper in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, the group describes the different types of evidence for the plume they found and what it could mean for the study of plate tectonics.
Prior research has shown that there are columns of hot rock stretching from deep within the planet to the surface. Such plumes, as they are called, represent the underground parts of volcanoes. There may also be other types of plumes that do not reach the surface—called ghost plumes. They are believed to exert an influence on plate tectonics. Until now, no ghost plumes have been observed.
The current study began after researchers studying seismic waves beneath the territory of Oman found anomalies. The waves slowed down when passing through a certain part of the rock below. Intrigued by the find, the research team conducted further tests and used the resulting data to build a computer model.
The model showed clear evidence of a ghost plume with boundary layers of 410 and 660 kilometers below the surface. It also showed the plume, now named the Dani plume, to be approximately 200 to 300 kilometers in diameter and approximately 100°C to 300°C hotter than the rock around it.
Further study of the model showed it is likely that the plume has existed for a long time, perhaps going back 40 million years. Because of that, the researchers suspect it has been having an impact on the Indian tectonic plate and may be responsible for rising elevations in parts of Oman.
The data they collected and the imagery provided by the computer model strongly suggest that they have found the first incidence of a ghost plume. The find, they add, not only supports theories regarding ghost plumes, but hints at the possibility of many more around the planet. The model also showed more heat escaping from the core than was predicted, suggesting current theories regarding plumes may have to be adjusted.
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More information: Simone Pilia et al, Ghost plumes hidden beneath Earth's continents, Earth and Planetary Science Letters (2025).
Journal information: Earth and Planetary Science Letters
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