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Inefficient nitrogen transport to the lower mantle by sediment subduction

Author

Listed:
  • Weihua Huang

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Yan Yang

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Yuan Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Universität Bayreuth)

  • Zheng Xu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Shuiyuan Yang

    (China University of Geosciences)

  • Shengbin Guo

    (China University of Geosciences)

  • Qunke Xia

    (Zhejiang University)

Abstract

The fate of sedimentary nitrogen during subduction is essential for understanding the origin of nitrogen in the deep Earth. Here we study the behavior of nitrogen in slab sediments during the phengite to K-hollandite transition at 10–12 GPa and 800–1100 °C. Phengite stability is extended by 1–3 GPa in the nitrogen (NH4+)-bearing system. The phengite-fluid partition coefficient of nitrogen is 0.031 at 10 GPa, and K-hollandite-fluid partition coefficients of nitrogen range from 0.008 to 0.064, showing a positive dependence on pressure but a negative dependence on temperature. The nitrogen partitioning data suggest that K-hollandite can only preserve ~43% and ~26% of the nitrogen from phengite during the phengite to K-hollandite transition along the cold and warm slab geotherms, respectively. Combined with the slab sedimentary nitrogen influx, we find that a maximum of ~1.5 × 108 kg/y of nitrogen, representing ~20% of the initial sedimentary nitrogen influx, could be transported by K-hollandite to the lower mantle. We conclude that slab sediments may have contributed less than 15% of the lower mantle nitrogen, most of which is probably of primordial origin.

Suggested Citation

  • Weihua Huang & Yan Yang & Yuan Li & Zheng Xu & Shuiyuan Yang & Shengbin Guo & Qunke Xia, 2024. "Inefficient nitrogen transport to the lower mantle by sediment subduction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-51524-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51524-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yanzhang Li & Hongyu Wang & Yan Li & Huan Ye & Yanan Zhang & Rongzhang Yin & Haoning Jia & Bingxu Hou & Changqiu Wang & Hongrui Ding & Xiangzhi Bai & Anhuai Lu, 2023. "Electron transfer rules of minerals under pressure informed by machine learning," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Sanjoy M. Som & David C. Catling & Jelte P. Harnmeijer & Peter M. Polivka & Roger Buick, 2012. "Air density 2.7 billion years ago limited to less than twice modern levels by fossil raindrop imprints," Nature, Nature, vol. 484(7394), pages 359-362, April.
    3. J. Labidi & P. H. Barry & D. V. Bekaert & M. W. Broadley & B. Marty & T. Giunta & O. Warr & B. Sherwood Lollar & T. P. Fischer & G. Avice & A. Caracausi & C. J. Ballentine & S. A. Halldórsson & A. Ste, 2020. "Hydrothermal 15N15N abundances constrain the origins of mantle nitrogen," Nature, Nature, vol. 580(7803), pages 367-371, April.
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