Mantle wedge

This piece of mantle can be identified using seismic velocity imaging as well as earthquake maps.

[3] Magmas produced in subduction zone regions have high volatile contents.

This water rises from the subducting slab to the overriding mantle wedge.

These tomographic images show a low velocity, high attenuation region above the subducting slab.

[1] Mantle wedge regions that do not have associated arc volcanism do not show such low velocities.

It has been determined that this state of oxidation is correlated with the water content of the mantle wedge.