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Full-waveform tomography reveals iron spin crossover in Earth’s lower mantle

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Cobden

    (Utrecht University)

  • Jingyi Zhuang

    (Columbia University)

  • Wenjie Lei

    (Columbia University
    Princeton University
    Google Inc.)

  • Renata Wentzcovitch

    (Columbia University
    Columbia University
    Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory
    Columbia University)

  • Jeannot Trampert

    (Utrecht University)

  • Jeroen Tromp

    (Princeton University)

Abstract

Three-dimensional models of Earth’s seismic structure can be used to identify temperature-dependent phenomena, including mineralogical phase and spin transformations, that are obscured in 1-D spherical averages. Full-waveform tomography maps seismic wave-speeds inside the Earth in three dimensions, at a higher resolution than classical methods. By providing absolute wave speeds (rather than perturbations) and simultaneously constraining bulk and shear wave speeds over the same frequency range, it becomes feasible to distinguish variations in temperature from changes in composition or spin state. We present a quantitative joint interpretation of bulk and shear wave speeds in the lower mantle, using a recently published full-waveform tomography model. At all depths the diversity of wave speeds cannot be explained by an isochemical mantle. Between 1000 and 2500 km depth, hypothetical mantle models containing an electronic spin crossover in ferropericlase provide a significantly better fit to the wave-speed distributions, as well as more realistic temperatures and silica contents, than models without a spin crossover. Below 2500 km, wave speed distributions are explained by an enrichment in silica towards the core-mantle boundary. This silica enrichment may represent the fractionated remains of an ancient basal magma ocean.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Cobden & Jingyi Zhuang & Wenjie Lei & Renata Wentzcovitch & Jeannot Trampert & Jeroen Tromp, 2024. "Full-waveform tomography reveals iron spin crossover in Earth’s lower mantle," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-46040-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46040-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. S. Labrosse & J. W. Hernlund & N. Coltice, 2007. "A crystallizing dense magma ocean at the base of the Earth’s mantle," Nature, Nature, vol. 450(7171), pages 866-869, December.
    2. Jiachao Liu & Susannah M. Dorfman & Feng Zhu & Jie Li & Yonggang Wang & Dongzhou Zhang & Yuming Xiao & Wenli Bi & E. Ercan Alp, 2018. "Valence and spin states of iron are invisible in Earth’s lower mantle," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Grace E. Shephard & Christine Houser & John W. Hernlund & Juan J. Valencia-Cardona & Reidar G. Trønnes & Renata M. Wentzcovitch, 2021. "Seismological expression of the iron spin crossover in ferropericlase in the Earth’s lower mantle," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
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