Water circulation and global mantle dynamics: Insight from numerical modeling

Abstract

© 2015. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. We investigate water circulation and its dynamical effects on global-scale mantle dynamics in numerical thermochemical mantle convection simulations. Both dehydration-hydration processes and dehydration melting are included. We also assume the rheological properties of hydrous minerals and density reduction caused by hydrous minerals. Heat transfer due to mantle convection seems to be enhanced more effectively than water cycling in the mantle convection system when reasonable water dependence of viscosity is assumed, due to effective slab dehydration at shallow depths. Water still affects significantly the global dynamics by weakening the near-surface oceanic crust and lithosphere, enhancing the activity of surface plate motion compared to dry mantle case. As a result, including hydrous minerals, the more viscous mantle is expected with several orders of magnitude compared to the dry mantle. The average water content in the whole mantle is regulated by the dehydration-hydration process. The large-scale thermochemical anomalies, as is observed in the deep mantle, is found when a large density contrast between basaltic material and ambient mantle is assumed (4-5%), comparable to mineral physics measurements. Through this study, the effects of hydrous minerals in mantle dynamics are very important for interpreting the observational constraints on mantle convection. Key Points: We implement the water migration into mantle convection Hydrous minerals are crucial for heat transfer and structure in the mantle Density due to water content is not sensitive for mantle heterogeneity