Pseudoplastic dynamical model of the asthenosphere and its tectonic consequences

Recent geophysical investigations show that the asthenosphere is more of a plastic continuum of the earth's interior. Thus Newtonian models are far from depicting the characteristics of motion within the earth's mantle. This paper in particular formulates and analyses pseudoplastic models, especially for a rather vital region of the asthenosphere, namely, the polymorphic region between the lithosphere and the real asthenosphere. (author). 5 refs