Plattenkriechung

Plattenkriechung is a German term used in geoscience to describe slow, ductile deformation of lithospheric plates that occurs over geologic timescales. It denotes gradual, continuous displacement and strain accommodation within the plates, in contrast to the abrupt brittle slip that produces most earthquakes. The term is found in some German-language publications but is not a universally standardized concept in international geophysics.

The word combines Platten (plates) and Kriechung (creep). In this sense, Plattenkriechung refers to the slow, viscous flow or plastic deformation of rocks under high temperature and pressure conditions typical of the lower crust and upper mantle, where rocks can deform without fracturing. Mantle convection, gravitational forces, and crustal composition all influence the rate and pattern of this creep. Fluids and mineral microstructures can further modulate the creep behavior.

Geological significance lies in how such slow deformation contributes to long-term plate motion and strain distribution. Evidence can come from geodetic observations that reveal slow-slip or aseismic deformation, petrological and microstructural analyses indicating ductile flow, and tectonic models that incorporate plastically deforming zones to explain surface deformation and topography.

Occurrence is generally associated with regions where rocks reach ductile temperatures and pressures, such as parts of subduction zones, thickened continental crust, or zones with sustained mantle flow. Plattenkriechung interacts with brittle seismic processes by distributing strain over longer timescales and potentially influencing the initiation and termination of earthquakes.

See also: plate tectonics, aseismic creep, slow-slip events, lithosphere, asthenosphere.