ERC Advanced Grant · 2017
Chemistry and transport properties of bridgmanite controlling lower-mantle dynamics
Seismic observations imply that slab descent and plume ascent are impeded in the mid-mantle (MM) (depths of 660–1000 km, pressures of 23–40 GPa). A recent evaluation of viscosity variation suggested the presence of a viscosity increase or maximum in the MM that could drag the slab and plume motions. The viscosity variation may be caused by a change in the rheology of bridgmanite (Brg), the dominant mineral in the lower mantle (LM). The absence of seismic anisotropy suggests the dominance of diffusion creep in the majority of the LM. Element diffusivities and grain size are two essential factors of diffusion creep, and defect chemistry controls diffusivity. Hence, this project will determine…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.