Deformation of a Bubble at Low Reynolds Number: A Model of Interaction between a Plume Head and a Subducting Slab

Mantle plume heads produce some of the most dramatic features on Earth's surface. Recent studies suggest that a buoyant plume interacted with the subducting Farallon plate early in the history of the Yellowstone hotspot. Motivated by the possible interaction of plumes and slab, we studied the interaction of plumes and slabs in order to understand when a slab can prevent a plume from reaching Earth's surface and how plume dynamic is influenced by subduction. We use a combination of laboratory experiments and scaling analyses. We identify the conditions under which a plume is dragged downward by the slab. We also show that gravity current scaling agrees well with experimental measurements.