Influences of Lower-Mantle Properties on the Formation of Asthenosphere in Oceanic Upper Mantle

David A Yuen; Nicola Tosi; Ondrej Čadek

doi:10.1007/s12583-011-0166-9

Volume 22 Issue 2

Apr 2011

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Journal of Earth Science > 2011 > 22(2): 143-154.

David A Yuen, Nicola Tosi, Ondrej Čadek. Influences of Lower-Mantle Properties on the Formation of Asthenosphere in Oceanic Upper Mantle. Journal of Earth Science, 2011, 22(2): 143-154. doi: 10.1007/s12583-011-0166-9

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David A Yuen, Nicola Tosi, Ondrej Čadek. Influences of Lower-Mantle Properties on the Formation of Asthenosphere in Oceanic Upper Mantle. Journal of Earth Science, 2011, 22(2): 143-154. doi: 10.1007/s12583-011-0166-9

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Influences of Lower-Mantle Properties on the Formation of Asthenosphere in Oceanic Upper Mantle

doi: 10.1007/s12583-011-0166-9

1.
Department of Geology and Geophysics and Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA
2.
Department of Planetary Physics, Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
3.
Department of Geophysics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Funds:

the CMG Program of the National Science Foundation

the Senior Visiting Professorship Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

the Helmholtz Association through the Research Alliance "Planetary Evolution and Life"

the European Commission through the Marie Curie Research Training Network c2c MRTN-CT-2006-035957

More Information

Corresponding author: Nicola Tosi, nic.tosi@googlemail.com
Received Date: 22 Sep 2010
Accepted Date: 28 Dec 2010
Publish Date: 01 Apr 2011

Abstract

Abstract

Asthenosphere is a venerable concept based on geological intuition of Reginald Daly nearly 100 years ago. There have been various explanations for the existence of the asthenosphere. The concept of a plume-fed asthenosphere has been around for a few years due to the ideas put forth by Yamamoto et al.. Using a two-dimensional Cartesian code based on finite-volume method, we have investigated the influences of lower-mantle physical properties on the formation of a low-viscosity zone in the oceanic upper mantle in regions close to a large mantle upwelling. The rheological law is Newtonian and depends on both temperature and depth. An extended-Boussinesq model is assumed for the energetics and the olivine to spinel, the spinel to perovskite and perovskite to post-perovskite (ppv) phase transitions are considered. We have compared the differences in the behavior of hot upwellings passing through the transition zone in the mid-mantle for a variety of models, starting with constant physical properties in the lower-mantle and culminating with complex models which have the post-perovskite phase transition and depth-dependent coefficient of thermal expansion and thermal conductivity. We found that the formation of the asthenosphere in the upper mantle in the vicinity of large upwellings is facilitated in models where both depth-dependent thermal expansivity and conductivity are included. Models with constant thermal expansivity and thermal conductivity do not produce a hot low-viscosity zone, resembling the asthenosphere. We have also studied the influences of a cylindrical model and found similar results as the Cartesian model with the important difference that upper-mantle temperatures were much cooler than the Cartesian model by about 600 to 700 K. Our findings argue for the potentially important role played by lower-mantle material properties on the development of a plume-fed asthenosphere in the oceanic upper mantle.
- oceanic asthenosphere,
- lower mantle,
- thermal expansivity,
- thermal conductivity,
- phase transition

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References(68)

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Influences of Lower-Mantle Properties on the Formation of Asthenosphere in Oceanic Upper Mantle

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