Pplates is a 4D tectonic reconstruction software program for geology and geophysics. Unlike conventional Euler pole-based programs, Pplates allows for multi-scale rendition of the motion of deformable and tearable sheets of rock based on the movement through time of 2D meshes embedded in 3D space. This innovation means it is possible to track the motion of subducting slabs as they descend into the Earth's mantle. It also means that it is possible to include phenomena such as stress and strain, global torque balance due to edge interactions, frictional drag as the lithosphere slides over the underlying asthenosphere, as well as more complex phenomena such as isostatic adjustment reflecting pure shear deformation above and below detachment faults (including temporal variation of uplift/subsidence on a passive continental margin as isotherms adjust after a tectonic episode).
