Mixing of heterogeneities in the mantle: Effect of viscosity differences
- 15 February 1996
- journal article
- Published by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in Geophysical Research Letters
- Vol. 23 (4) , 403-406
- https://doi.org/10.1029/96gl00242
Abstract
The effect of viscosity variations associated with large scale chemical heterogeneities on mixing in the mantle is studied for a model two‐dimensional problem. Low viscosity regions are rapidly deformed, develop long tendrils, and are entrained towards regions of surface divergence. Very viscous regions are only slowly stretched; thus, geochemical reservoirs can persist relatively undisturbed for long periods of time if they are >O(10–100) times more viscous than the surrounding mantle. High viscosity ratio blobs have a tendency to aggregate, leading to the formation of large scale heterogeneities from smaller ones.Keywords
This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit:
- Dynamics of drops in branched tubesJournal of Fluid Mechanics, 1996
- Segregation of subducted oceanic crust in the convecting mantleJournal of Geophysical Research, 1994
- Buoyancy-driven interactions between two deformable viscous dropsJournal of Fluid Mechanics, 1993
- High‐pressure melting of carbonaceous chondriteJournal of Geophysical Research, 1993
- MIXING IN THE MANTLEAnnual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1992
- Mantle plumes, mantle stirring and hotspot chemistryEarth and Planetary Science Letters, 1990
- Controls of the structure of subducted slabsNature, 1988
- Stirring and mixing in the mantle by plate‐scale flow: Large persistent blobs and long tendrils coexistGeophysical Research Letters, 1986
- Implications of a two-component marble-cake mantleNature, 1986
- The destruction of geochemical heterogeneities by differential fluid motions during mantle convectionGeophysical Journal International, 1985