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Zoned mantle convection.

Francis Albarède1, Rob D Van Der Hilst

  • 1Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France.

Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences
|December 4, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Mantle convection models struggle to explain Earth's heat and gas budgets. A new thermochemical convection model suggests variable plate subduction depths reconcile geochemical and geophysical evidence, preserving deep mantle heterogeneity.

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Area of Science:

  • Geophysics and Geochemistry
  • Earth Sciences
  • Planetary Science

Background:

  • Current models of whole-mantle convection face challenges reconciling geochemical (e.g., argon and helium budgets) and geophysical evidence with Earth's thermal evolution.
  • The concept of a 'plate graveyard' in the deep mantle is inconsistent with observed deep-mantle composition, particularly concerning lithophilic incompatible elements.
  • Existing isotopic inventories do not fully explain deep-mantle composition through continental debris, primitive material, or subducted oceanic crust.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a new model for mantle convection and its evolution that reconciles existing geochemical and geophysical evidence.
  • To investigate the compatibility of whole-mantle convection with key geochemical and thermal constraints.
  • To explain the observed compositional heterogeneity in the deep mantle and its implications for Earth's history.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing geochemical and geophysical data related to mantle convection.
  • Development of a thermochemical convection model incorporating variable plate subduction depths.
  • Analysis of factors influencing plate buoyancy, including composition (e.g., oceanic plateaus) and thermal structure.

Main Results:

  • Whole-mantle convection models are incompatible with argon/helium budgets and required heat source inventories for Earth's thermal evolution.
  • Seismological data suggest compositional heterogeneity in the lower mantle, but lack evidence for a sharp mid-mantle compositional interface.
  • Variable subduction depths, influenced by plate composition and thermal structure, lead to statistical segregation rather than a distinct compositional boundary.

Conclusions:

  • A thermochemical convection model, where lithospheric plates subduct to variable depths, can reconcile geochemical and geophysical observations.
  • The model explains the preservation of primitive material remnants in the deep mantle, accounting for Ar and 3He observations in ocean-island basalts.
  • Oceanic plateau loading influences subduction depth, with barren plates recycling shallower and plateau-laden plates potentially reaching the core-mantle boundary.

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