Dataset
Data Publication
T-LAB: Global Maps of the Thermal Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary Derived from Shear-Wave Tomography Models and Mineral Physics Constraints
Bott, Judith | May, Tilman | Kumar, Ajay | Schiller, Carl Josef | Scheck-Wenderoth, Magdalena
GFZ Data Services
(2026)
Descriptions
The lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) marks the base of the Earth’s outer layer where heat is transferred primarily by conduction as compared to prevailing convective heat transport below. Spatial variations in LAB depth reveal the differential evolution of tectonic systems (e.g., rifts and orogens), thus enabling a better understanding of geodynamic processes. Further, the topography of the LAB exerts control on the coupling of the lithosphere to asthenospheric flow, modulating the distribution of present-day stresses and active deformation of the tectonic plates. We have derived global depth variations of the LAB from temperature-converted shear-wave tomography models assuming that the threshold temperature between conduction and mantle convection is 1300 °C. Shear-wave velocity in the mantle is controlled by both in situ pressure-temperature conditions and mineralogical rock composition. Therefore, our velocity-to-temperature conversion builds on a framework of rock physical properties generated through a Gibbs free energy minimization to determine thermodynamically stable phase and mineral assemblages throughout upper mantle pressure and temperature conditions. In this data publication, we provide thermal LAB depths corresponding to one European-scale and three global-scale tomography models. The data release includes (i) a data description file with information on the input tomographic models, the conversion method and spatial variations in LAB depth (illustrated); and (ii) four data files with LAB depth values spatially sampled according to the input tomography models.
Keywords
MSL enriched keywords
Earth's structure
Earth mantle
lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary
lithosphere
asthenosphere
upper mantle
Originally assigned keywords
Geological setting > Earth's structure > Earth mantle > lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary
Rock and melt physics > Measured property > elastic wave velocity > S-wave
Science Keywords > EARTH SCIENCE
Science Keywords > EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH
Science Keywords > EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH > GEOTHERMAL DYNAMICS
Science Keywords > EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH > TECTONICS
Metadata
Resource Type
Source
Source publisher
| GFZ Data Services |
Creators
| Bott, Judith |
| Personal |
| https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2018-4754 |
| GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany |
| May, Tilman |
| Personal |
| https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6923-3622 |
| GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany |
| Kumar, Ajay |
| Personal |
| https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2669-355X |
| Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Pune, India |
| Schiller, Carl Josef |
| Personal |
| https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3807-500X |
| ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland |
| Scheck-Wenderoth, Magdalena |
| Personal |
| https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0426-8269 |
| GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany |
Contributors
| Bott, Judith |
| Personal |
| https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2018-4754 |
| GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany |
| Bott, Judith |
| Personal |
| GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany |
Citation
Bott, J., May, T., Kumar, A., Schiller, C. J., & Scheck-Wenderoth, M. (2026). T-LAB: Global Maps of the Thermal Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary Derived from Shear-Wave Tomography Models and Mineral Physics Constraints [Dataset]. GFZ Data Services. https://doi.org/10.5880/GFZ.CUEG.2026.001
References
| URL |
| Cites |
| URL |
| References |
| URL |
| References |
Dates
| Created | 2026-06-04 |
| Issued | 2026 |
Language
- no language entry found -
Rights
| Name | Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International |
| URI | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode |
| Identifier | cc-by-4.0 |
| Identifier Scheme | SPDX |
| Scheme URI | https://spdx.org/licenses/ |
Locations
Geo location(s)
Coverage: CSEMv2 Globe
Coverage: CSEMv2 Europe
Coverage: REVEAL and SL2013sv