Potential energy
The asthenosphere rises until it comes into contact with the base of the lower crust, causing the lower crust and lithospheric mantle to start to peel away. Slumping, cracking, or plume erosion facilitates the intrusion of underlying asthenosphere. Potential energy that drives the delamination is released as the low density, hot asthenosphere rises and replaces the higher density, cold lithosphere. Separation of lowermost crust and lithospheric mantle is controlled by the effective viscosity of the upper continental crust. These processes often occur in environments of rifting, plume erosion, continental collision or where there is convective instability.