This proposal leverages the data-driven model design, high-performance computing, and three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality to construct unprecedented high-resolution 3D models of the Pacific Rim of Fire. The 3D numerical simulations of the Pacific Rim of Fire will investigate a new class of volcanoes that occur at the edges of subduction zones, rather than typical arc volcanoes located above the subducted plate. In addition, the numerical simulations will examine the dimensions of slab-driven mantle flow, addressing outstanding questions of coupling between the tectonic plates and the Earth’s mantle.
