Below the crust lies the mantle, a thick layer of solid rock that behaves in a plastic, flowing manner over long geological timescales. Tectonic Setting Typical Depth to Magma Example Location Mid-Ocean Ridge 5 – 20 km Mid-Atlantic Ridge Subduction Zone 100 – 150 km Cascadia Subduction Zone Hotspot 50 – 200 km Hawaii Continental Rift 20 – 80 km East African Rift Magma Chambers and Storage Rather than being a continuous river of molten rock, magma often accumulates in discrete pockets known as magma chambers.
Directly Below the Lithosphere: The Magma-Rich Asthenosphere Zone
Directly below the lithosphere is the asthenosphere, a zone of the upper mantle that is weaker and ductile. In contrast, at subduction zones, where one plate dives beneath another, magma generation occurs at greater depths, often between 100 and 150 kilometers.
Continental rift zones, where a continent is being torn apart, feature magma located at intermediate depths of 20 to 80 kilometers. The Lithosphere and Asthenosphere The rigid, outermost layer of the Earth, including the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle, is called the lithosphere.
Directly Below Lithosphere Magma Zone
Within the upper part of the mantle, conditions are just right for rock to melt, creating the pockets and zones of magma. This layer is broken into tectonic plates that float and move on the layer beneath it.
More About Where is magma located
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