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Low-buoyancy thermochemical plumes resolve controversy of classical mantle plume concept

Author

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  • Juliane Dannberg

    (Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg)

  • Stephan V. Sobolev

    (Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg
    Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam)

Abstract

The Earth’s biggest magmatic events are believed to originate from massive melting when hot mantle plumes rising from the lowermost mantle reach the base of the lithosphere. Classical models predict large plume heads that cause kilometre-scale surface uplift, and narrow (100 km radius) plume tails that remain in the mantle after the plume head spreads below the lithosphere. However, in many cases, such uplifts and narrow plume tails are not observed. Here using numerical models, we show that the issue can be resolved if major mantle plumes contain up to 15–20% of recycled oceanic crust in a form of dense eclogite, which drastically decreases their buoyancy and makes it depth dependent. We demonstrate that, despite their low buoyancy, large enough thermochemical plumes can rise through the whole mantle causing only negligible surface uplift. Their tails are bulky (>200 km radius) and remain in the upper mantle for 100 millions of years.

Suggested Citation

  • Juliane Dannberg & Stephan V. Sobolev, 2015. "Low-buoyancy thermochemical plumes resolve controversy of classical mantle plume concept," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms7960
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7960
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    Cited by:

    1. Wen-Yi Zhou & Ming Hao & Jin S. Zhang & Bin Chen & Ruijia Wang & Brandon Schmandt, 2022. "Constraining composition and temperature variations in the mantle transition zone," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Shiwen Li & Yabin Li & Yanhui Zhang & Zikun Zhou & Junhao Guo & Aihua Weng, 2023. "Remnant of the late Permian superplume that generated the Siberian Traps inferred from geomagnetic data," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-7, December.

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