Articles | Volume 14, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-119-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-119-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Influence of heterogeneous thermal conductivity on the long-term evolution of the lower-mantle thermochemical structure: implications for primordial reservoirs
Joshua Martin Guerrero
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Frédéric Deschamps
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Institutions of Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Wen-Pin Hsieh
Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Paul James Tackley
Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Paul J. Tackley
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1543, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1543, 2025
Short summary
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Large density jumps in numerical simulations of solid Earth dynamics can cause numerical oscillations. An effective method to prevent these at a free surface already exists. Here this is tested for compositional layers deeper in the mantle. The stabilisation method works effectively if density gradients due purely to compositional gradients are used, but produces severe artefacts if total density is used.
Paul James Tackley
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1354, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1354, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Tracers are commonly used in geodynamical models to track composition, but a common problem is that over time, gaps in the tracer distribution can develop, as well as bunches. Here a method to correct such problems is presented and tested. The method perturbs or “nudges” the positions of tracers in such a way as to close gaps and eliminate bunching. Test results show that this tracer nudging method is highly effective. The computational cost is small.
Anna Johanna Pia Gülcher, Maxim Dionys Ballmer, and Paul James Tackley
Solid Earth, 12, 2087–2107, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-2087-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-2087-2021, 2021
Short summary
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The lower mantle extends from 660–2890 km depth, making up > 50 % of the Earth’s volume. Its composition and structure, however, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigate several hypotheses with computer simulations of mantle convection that include different materials: recycled, dense rocks and ancient, strong rocks. We propose a new integrated style of mantle convection including
piles,
blobs, and
streaksthat agrees with various observations of the deep Earth.
Daniela Paz Bolrão, Maxim D. Ballmer, Adrien Morison, Antoine B. Rozel, Patrick Sanan, Stéphane Labrosse, and Paul J. Tackley
Solid Earth, 12, 421–437, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-421-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-421-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We use numerical models to investigate the thermo-chemical evolution of a solid mantle during a magma ocean stage. When applied to the Earth, our study shows that the solid mantle and a magma ocean tend toward chemical equilibration before crystallisation of this magma ocean. Our findings suggest that a very strong chemical stratification of the solid mantle is unlikely to occur (as predicted by previous studies), which may explain why the Earth’s mantle is rather homogeneous in composition.
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Short summary
The mantle thermal conductivity's dependencies on temperature, pressure, and composition are often suppressed in numerical models. We examine the effect of these dependencies on the long-term evolution of lower-mantle thermochemical structure. We propose that depth-dependent conductivities derived from mantle minerals, along with moderate temperature and compositional correction, emulate the Earth's mean lowermost-mantle conductivity values and produce a stable two-pile configuration.
The mantle thermal conductivity's dependencies on temperature, pressure, and composition are...