Formation of horizontally deflected slabs in the mantle transition zone caused by spinel‐to‐post‐spinel phase transition, its associated grainsize reduction effects, and trench retreat

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Mao ◽  
Shijie Zhong
Keyword(s):  
Phase Transition ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
Spinel Phase ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone

scholarly journals A Metastable Fo-III Wedge in Cold Slabs Subducted to the Lower Part of the Mantle Transition Zone: A Hypothesis Based on First-Principles Simulations

Minerals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yining Zhang ◽  
Yanyao Zhang ◽  
Yun Liu ◽  
Xi Liu
Keyword(s):  
Phase Transition ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
First Principles ◽  
Lower Mantle ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Spinel Phase ◽  
Metastable Phase ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Deep Focus ◽  
Metastable Olivine

The metastable olivine (Ol) wedge hypothesis assumes that Ol may exist as a metastable phase at the P conditions of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) and even deeper regions due to inhibition of the phase transitions from Ol to wadsleyite and ringwoodite caused by low T in the cold subducting slabs. It is commonly invoked to account for the stagnation of the descending slabs, deep focus earthquakes and other geophysical observations. In the last few years, several new structures with the forsterite (Fo) composition, namely Fo-II, Fo-III and Fo-IV, were either experimentally observed or theoretically predicted at very low T conditions. They may have important impacts on the metastable Ol wedge hypothesis. By performing first-principles calculations, we have systematically examined their crystallographic characteristics, elastic properties and dynamic stabilities from 0 to 100 GPa, and identified the Fo-III phase as the most likely metastable phase to occur in the cold slabs subducted to the depths equivalent to the lower part of the MTZ (below the ~600 km depth) and even the lower mantle. As disclosed by our theoretical simulations, the Fo-III phase is a post-spinel phase (space group Cmc21), has all cations in sixfold coordination at P < ~60 GPa, and shows dynamic stability for the entire P range from 0 to 100 GPa. Further, our static enthalpy calculations have suggested that the Fo-III phase may directly form from the Fo material at ~22 GPa (0 K), and our high-T phase relation calculations have located the Fo/Fo-III phase boundary at ~23.75 GPa (room T) with an averaged Clapeyron slope of ~−1.1 MPa/K for the T interval from 300 to 1800 K. All these calculated phase transition pressures are likely overestimated by ~3 GPa because of the GGA method used in this study. The discrepancy between our predicted phase transition P and the experimental observation (~58 GPa at 300 K) can be explained by slow reaction rate and short experimental durations. Taking into account the P-T conditions in the cold downgoing slabs, we therefore propose that the Fo-III phase, rather than the Ol, highly possibly occurs as the metastable phase in the cold slabs subducted to the P conditions of the lower part of the MTZ (below the ~600 km depth) and even the lower mantle. In addition, our calculation has showed that the Fo-III phase has higher bulk seismic velocity, and thus may make important contributions to the high seismic speeds observed in the cold slabs stagnated near the upper mantle-lower mantle boundary. Future seismic studies may discriminate the effects of the Fo-III phase and the low T. Surprisingly, the Fo-III phase will speed up, rather than slow down, the subducting process of the cold slabs, if it metastably forms from the Ol. In general, the Fo-III phase has a higher density than the warm MTZ, but has a lower density than the lower mantle, as suggested by our calculations.

Behaviors of Wet Plume Controlled by Olivine-Wadsleyite Phase Transition and Water Distribution

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyunseong Kim ◽  
Youngjun Lee ◽  
Doyoung Kim ◽  
Changyeol Lee
Keyword(s):  
Phase Transition ◽  
Partial Melting ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
Korean Peninsula ◽  
Northeast China ◽  
Bound Water ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Hydrated Layer ◽  
Geochemical Studies ◽  
Stagnant Slab

&lt;p&gt;Quaternary Intraplate volcanoes are sparsely distributed in Northeast Asia including Northeast China and Korean Peninsula and roles of the stagnant Pacific plate in the volcanoes have been studied. Recent geochemical studies suggest that the hydrated mantle in the mantle transition zone was incorporated in the wet plumes that were generated from the hydrated layer atop the stagnant slab, and the ascending wet plumes experienced partial melting in the shallow asthenosphere. To quantitatively evaluate the incorporation of the mantle in the transition zone into the wet plumes and their partial melting in the asthenosphere, we conducted a series of two-dimensional thermochemical numerical models by including the olivine-wadsleyite phase transition at the 410km discontinuity. The buoyancy is controlled by temperature, bound-water content and mineral phase. Viscosity reduction by the bound-water is added to the temperature-dependent viscosity. Particle tracers are used to track the incorporation of the mantle in the transition zone into the wet plumes. We vary the Clapeyron slope of the phase transition and water distributions in the mantle transition zone and hydrated layer of the stagnant slab to evaluate their effects on the behavior of the wet plumes. Results show that multiple wet plumes generated from atop the stagnant slab incorporate the hydrated mantle in the transition zone. Due to the endothermic phase transition at the 410 km discontinuity, the ascending wet plumes are retarded and laterally migrated beneath the 410 km discontinuity for several million years, and enter the overlying asthenosphere as merged large wet plumes. The ascending merged wet plumes laterally spread beneath the thermal lithosphere and experience partial melting, consistent with the interpretation based on the geochemical studies. The spacing of the merged wet plumes (~440 km) caused by the phase transition at the 410 km discontinuity is consistent with the sparse volcano distribution in Northeast China and Korean Peninsula.&lt;/p&gt;

Theoretical modeling of the regular olivine intergrowths in the mimetic paramorphosis after ringwoodite and wadsleyite

2018 ◽  
pp. 3-12
Author(s):  
B. B. Shkursky
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Theoretical Modeling ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Misorientation Angles

Theoretical modeling of regular olivine grains misorientations in mimetic paramorphoses after ringwoodite and wadsleyite, the formation of which during the ascension of matter from the Mantle Transition Zone is expected, has been carried out. The coordinates of the misorientation axes and the misorientation angles, characterizing 10 operations of alignment in the pair intergrowths of olivine grains, eight of which are twins, are calculated. Possible conditions for the formation of mimetic paramorphoses predicted here, and the chances of their persistence are discussed. The calculated orientations are compared with the known twinning laws of olivine.

scholarly journals A thin mantle transition zone beneath the equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Nature ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 589 (7843) ◽  
pp. 562-566
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Agius ◽  
Catherine A. Rychert ◽  
Nicholas Harmon ◽  
Saikiran Tharimena ◽  
J.-Michael Kendall
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Mantle Transition Zone ◽  
Mid Atlantic Ridge
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