Effects of an endothermic phase transition at 670 km depth in a spherical model of convection in the Earth's mantle

Numerical modelling of mantle convection in a spherical shell with an endothermic phase change at 670 km depth reveals an inherently three-dimensional flow pattern, containing cylindrical plumes and linear sheets which behave differently in their ability to penetrate the phase change. The dynamics a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1993-02, Vol.361 (6414), p.699-704
Main Authors: Tackley, Paul J., Stevenson, David J., Glatzmaier, Gary A., Schubert, Gerald
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Humanities and Social Sciences
Internal geophysics
multidisciplinary
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Solid-earth geophysics, tectonophysics, gravimetry
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Summary:Numerical modelling of mantle convection in a spherical shell with an endothermic phase change at 670 km depth reveals an inherently three-dimensional flow pattern, containing cylindrical plumes and linear sheets which behave differently in their ability to penetrate the phase change. The dynamics are dominated by accumulation of downwelling cold material above 670 km depth, resulting in frequent avalanches of upper-mantle material into the lower mantle. This process generates long-wavelength lateral heterogeneity, helping to resolve the contradiction between seismic tomographic observations and expectations from mantle convection simulations.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/361699a0