Changyeol Lee's research

Research Interests

I focus on the geodynamical processes of the temporal and spatial evolution of subduction zones and intraplate regions. My research explores complex dynamics such as the time-evolving behavior of subducting slabs, slab buckling, and the interaction between plumes and slabs. Since these deep-seated processes are manifested as the deformation and structures of the surface of the Earth, I am also deeply interested in tectonics, particularly earthquakes and volcanism.

Most recently, I have been investigating the roles of water within subduction systems, extending from the trench to the mantle transition zone. Through the latest 2-D and 3-D numerical modeling, I aim to quantitatively understand how water-driven dynamics shape our planet. A summary of the research topics of my group is described below.

Dynamics of Plume-Lithosphere

My research aims to evaluate the dynamics of the interactions between plumes and the lithosphere and the associated geological processes through Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modeling. I perform thermo-mechanical numerical experiments to develop an understanding of how the dynamic interactions among mantle, wet, and hybrid plumes with the lithospheric mantle generate dynamic topography and delamination.

Furthermore, I draw critical inferences on the origin of intra-continental volcanism, with key findings published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters (Dasgupta and Lee, 2024) and Physics of Fluids (Dasgupta and Lee, 2025).

Mantle Wind

The mantle wind has been a subject of study for decades, yet its origins and consequences remain poorly understood. To clarify these aspects, 2-D numerical models utilizing a disk-shaped geometry with double subduction zones are formulated. The results of the model demonstrate that a slab-driven mantle wind spontaneously occurs within the lower mantle. The subducting slabs, which are anchored to the lower mantle due to the high viscosity of the region, laterally sway in response to the swaying of the mantle wind. These findings suggest that the variations in slab dips caused by the mantle wind provide a robust explanation for the current morphology of slab dips (Lee et al., under review).

Hydrothermal Circulation

Hydrothermal circulation (HC) actively occurs in the oceanic crust in the vicinity of the Japan Trench subduction zone. HC rejuvenation (outer-rise zone before subduction, upper figure) and cessation (beneath the accretionary prism after subduction, lower figure) play significant roles in thermal structure, which impact the seafloor heat flow and demagnetization (Han et al., 2023; Han et al., under review; Lee et al., in preparation).

Melt Focusing Beneath NE Japan

Arc volcanoes are focused on the northeast Japan arc. This implies that the melt generated in the mantle wedge is transported and then focused beneath the arc volcanoes. Using two-dimensional numerical model, we quantitatively evaluated the partial melting and melt migration in the mantle wedge to clarify the melt focusing beneath the arc volcanoes in northeast Japan (Yoo and Lee, 2023).

Intraplate volcanoes in NE Asia

The Quaternary intraplate volcanoes in northeast Asia are sparsely distributed along the north-to-south, subparallel to the Japanese subduction zone, where the old Pacific plate subducts. These volcanoes are thought to result from the partial melting of the wet plumes that originated from the stagnant slab in the mantle transition zone. I am studying thermochemical convection, phase transition and melt transport with compaction pressure in hydrous mantle transition zone and anhydrous upper mantle, using 2-D numerical modeling (Kim et al., 2022; Lee et al., 206; Lee et al., under review).

Slab Dehydration and Fluid Flow

Subducting slab experiences dehydration due to increases in pressure and temperature. The dehydrated water inserted into the mantle wedge results in flux melting, responsible for the arc volcanism. Slab dehydration and fluid flow in the subducting zones are numerically studied. The model results explain melt distribution, non-volcanic seismic tremor, and transition from subduction infancy to mature subduction through a spontaneous mechanical decoupling at the slab interface (Yoo and Lee, 2020; Lee and Kim, 2021; Lee and Kim, 2023; Ha et al. 2025, Huh et al., 2026).

Volcano Clustering in NE Japan

Volcano clustering in NE Japan is thought to be releated to the 'hot fingers' in the mantle wedge. A 3-D numerical model study suggests that the hot fingers originated from the back-arc mantle strengthens the establishment of the volcano clustering. (Lee and Wada, 2017; Lee and Wada, 2021)

Cretaceous East Asian Tectonics

The tectonic history of East Asia during the Cretaceous is expressed as complicated igeneous activities such as adakite, adakitic rocks and A-type granitoids as well as basin-and-range type fault basins such as the Songliao basin. I suggested that the complicated tectonic history in East Asia during the Cretaceous was attributed to plume-plate and plume-slab interactions. (Ryu and Lee, 2017)

Time-evolving Subduction

I evaluated the effect of time-evolving subduction during the Cenozoic in the East Asian subduction zones such as Izu-Bonin-Mariana. The numerical model calculations show that other geological processes such as plume-slab interaction is relevant to the adakites or boninites in the subduction zones. (Kim and Lee, 2016)

Abukuma Adakite in NE Japan

The genesis of the 'typical' adakite erupted in the Abukuma region, NE Japan at ~16 Ma has been debated for years because the subduciton environments were not relevant to slab melting. Using 2-D and 3-D time-evolving subduction model, I show that the interaction between the infiltrated blob of the underlying hot mantle through the slab and subducting slab resulted in temporal and localized slab melting resulting in the Abukuma adakite. (Lee and Lim, 2014; Lee and Lim, 2016)

Slab Buckling

Subduction slab expriences buckling (lateral deformation resulting in stacking) due to viscosity increase across the 660 km discontinuity and phase transformation in the transition zone. I evaluated the effect of slab buckling on the seismology, structural geology and tectonics. (Lee and King, 2011)