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Insights into magma ocean dynamics from the transport properties of basaltic melt

Author

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  • Suraj K. Bajgain

    (Florida State University
    Lake Superior State University)

  • Aaron Wolfgang Ashley

    (Florida State University)

  • Mainak Mookherjee

    (Florida State University)

  • Dipta B. Ghosh

    (Louisiana State University)

  • Bijaya B. Karki

    (Louisiana State University)

Abstract

The viscosity of magma plays a crucial role in the dynamics of the Earth: from the crystallization of a magma ocean during its initial stages to modern-day volcanic processes. However, the pressure-dependence behavior of viscosity at high pressure remains controversial. In this study, we report the results of first-principles molecular dynamics simulations of basaltic melt to show that the melt viscosity increases upon compression along each isotherm for the entire lower mantle after showing minima at ~6 GPa. However, elevated temperatures of the magma ocean translate to a narrow range of viscosity, i.e., 0.01–0.03 Pa.s. This low viscosity implies that the crystallization of the magma ocean could be complete within a few million years. These results also suggest that the crystallization of the magma ocean is likely to be fractional, thus supporting the hypothesis that present-day mantle heterogeneities could have been generated during the early crystallization of the primitive mantle.

Suggested Citation

  • Suraj K. Bajgain & Aaron Wolfgang Ashley & Mainak Mookherjee & Dipta B. Ghosh & Bijaya B. Karki, 2022. "Insights into magma ocean dynamics from the transport properties of basaltic melt," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-35171-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35171-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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