The dynamics of the Alps and surrounding regions is still not completely understood, partly because of a non-unique interpretation of its upper-mantle architecture. In this respect, it is unclear if interpreted slabs are consistent with the observed surface deformation and topography. We derive three-end member scenarios of lithospheric thickness and slab geometries by clustering available shear-wave tomography models into a statistical ensemble. We use these scenarios as input for geodynamic simulations and compare modelled topography, surface velocities and mantle flow to observations. We found that a slab detached beneath the Alps, but attached beneath the Northern Apennines captures first-order patterns in topography and vertical surface velocities and can provide a causative explanation for the observed seismicity.

Surface heat flow provides essential information on the thermal state and thickness of the lithosphere. Southern Africa is a mosaic of the best-preserved and exposed crustal blocks, assembled in the early late Archean and then modified by a series of major tectono-thermal events, both of Precambrian and Phanerozoic. Understanding the thermal and compositional structure of the southern African lithosphere provides crucial information for the actual causes, processes of lithospheric stability, and modification. Temperature plays a major role in the distribution of the long-wavelength crustal magnetic anomalies. Curie depth, interpreted as the depth to $580^{\circ}$C, provides a valuable constraint on the thermal structure of the lithosphere. Due to the sparse distribution of surface heat flow data, we examine the degree to which the thermal structure of the crust can be constrained from the Curie depth in southern Africa. The Curie depth is estimated from magnetic anomaly data using spectral methods in combination wavelet analysis; a Bayesian approach is applied to address the uncertainty. Subsequently, the obtained Curie depth is used to estimate the surface heat flow, and the outcome is compared to available heat flow measurements. Unlike other cratonic regions, the shallowest Curie depth and low effective elastic thickness values observed over the Kaapvaal Craton suggest thermal reworking of the cratonic lithosphere in this region.