The finite element method was used to solve fluid dynamic interaction problems between the crust and mantle of the Earth. To consider different mechanical behaviours, the lithosphere consisting of the crust and upper ...The finite element method was used to solve fluid dynamic interaction problems between the crust and mantle of the Earth. To consider different mechanical behaviours, the lithosphere consisting of the crust and upper mantle was simulated as fluid-saturated porous rocks, while the upper aesthenospheric part of the mantle was simulated as viscous fluids. Since the whole lithosphere was computationally simulated, the dynamic interaction between the crust and the upper mantle was appropriately considered. In particular, the mixing of mantle fluids and crustal fluids was simulated in the corresponding computational model. The related computational simulation results from an example problem demonstrate that the mantle fluids can flow into the crust and mix with the crustal fluids due to the resulting convective flows in the crust-mantle system. Likewise, the crustal fluids can also flow into the upper mantle and mix with the mantle fluids. This kind of fluids mixing and exchange is very important to the better understanding of the governing processes that control the ore body formation and mineralization in the upper crust of the Earth.展开更多
The North China Craton (NCC) is a classical example of ancient destroyed cratons.Since the initiation of the North China Craton Destruction Project by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,numerous studies ...The North China Craton (NCC) is a classical example of ancient destroyed cratons.Since the initiation of the North China Craton Destruction Project by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,numerous studies have been conducted on the timing,scale,and mechanism of this destruction through combined interdisciplinary research.Available data suggest that the destruction occurred mainly in the eastern NCC,whereas the western NCC was only locally modified.The sedimentation,magmatic activities and structural deformation after cratonization at ～1.8 Ga indicate that the NCC destruction took place in the Mesozoic with a peak age of ca 125 Ma.A global comparison suggests that most cratons on Earth are not destroyed,although they have commonly experienced lithospheric thinning;destruction is likely to occur only when the craton has been disturbed by oceanic subduction.The destruction of the NCC was coincident with globally active plate tectonics and high mantle temperatures during the Cretaceous.The subducted Pacific slab destabilized mantle convection beneath the eastern NCC,which resulted in cratonic destruction in the eastern NCC.Delamination and/or thermal-mechanical-chemical erosion resulted from the destabilization of mantle convection.展开更多
The gravity and topography of Venus obtained from observations of the Magellan mission, as well as the gravity and topography from our numerical mantle convection model, are discussed in this paper. We used the hypoth...The gravity and topography of Venus obtained from observations of the Magellan mission, as well as the gravity and topography from our numerical mantle convection model, are discussed in this paper. We used the hypothesis that the geoid of degrees 2–40 is produced by sublithospheric mantle density anomalies that are associated with dynamical process within the mantle. We obtained the model dynamical admittance(the geoid topography ratio based on a convection model) by a numerical simulation of the Venusian mantle convection, and used it to correct the dynamical effect in the calculation of crustal thickness. After deducting the dynamical effect, the thickness of the Venusian crust is presented. The results show that the gravity and topography are strongly correlated with the Venusian mantle convection and the Venusian crust has a significant influence on the topography. The Venusian crustal thickness varies from 28 to 70 km. Ishtar Terra, and Ovda Regio and Thetis Regio in western Aphrodite Terra have the highest crustal thickness(larger than 50 km). The high topography of these areas is thought to be supported by crustal compensation and our results are consistent with the hypothesis that these areas are remnants of ancient continents. The crustal thickness in the Beta, Themis, Dione, Eistla, Bell, and Lada regiones is thin and shows less correlation with the topography, especially in the Atla and Imdr regiones in the eastern part of Aphrodite Terra. This is consistent with the hypothesis that these highlands are mainly supported by mantle plumes. Compared with the crustal thickness calculated with the dynamical effect, our results are more consistent with the crust evolution and internal dynamical process of Venus.展开更多
This paper presents a study on the effects of phase transitions on the mantle convection of Venus in a three-dimensional （3D） spherical shell domain. Our model includes strong depth- and temperature-dependent viscos...This paper presents a study on the effects of phase transitions on the mantle convection of Venus in a three-dimensional （3D） spherical shell domain. Our model includes strong depth- and temperature-dependent viscosity and exothermic phase change from olivine to spinel as well as endothermic phase change from spinel to perovskite. From extensive numerical simulations of the effects of Rayleigh number （Ra）, and the Clapeyron slopes and depths of phase changes, we found the following： （1） The endothermic phase change prevents mass flow through the interface. Increasing the absolute value of the Clapeyron slopes decreases radial mass flux and normalized radial mass flux at the endotbermic phase boundary, and decreases the number of mantle plumes. In other words, mass flow through the phase boundary decreases. The inhibition influence of phase changes increases, as do convective wavelengths. （2） Increasing Ra also increases the convective wavelength and decreases the number of mantle plumes, but it has less influence on the mass exchange. As Ra increases, the convective vigor increases along with the radial mass flux and the mass flow through the phase boundary; however, the normalized mass flux through the phase boundary varies little with Ra, which is different from the conclusion that increasing Ra will greatly increase the inhibition of mass flow through the phase boundary based on two-dimensional （2D） modeling. （3） Increasing the depth of endothermic phase change will slightly decrease the number of mantle plumes, but has little effect on the mass flow through the phase boundary. Consistent with previous studies, our results show that the phase change from spinel to perovskite could inhibit the mass flow through the phase boundary, but they also show that the buildup of hot materials under the endothermic phase boundary in the 3D model could not be so large as to cause strong episodic overturns of mantle materials, which is quite different from previous 2D studies. Our results suggest that it is difficult for phase changes to cause significant magmatism on Venus; in other words, phase changes may not be the primary cause of catastrophic resurfacing on Venus.展开更多
基金Project(10872219) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘The finite element method was used to solve fluid dynamic interaction problems between the crust and mantle of the Earth. To consider different mechanical behaviours, the lithosphere consisting of the crust and upper mantle was simulated as fluid-saturated porous rocks, while the upper aesthenospheric part of the mantle was simulated as viscous fluids. Since the whole lithosphere was computationally simulated, the dynamic interaction between the crust and the upper mantle was appropriately considered. In particular, the mixing of mantle fluids and crustal fluids was simulated in the corresponding computational model. The related computational simulation results from an example problem demonstrate that the mantle fluids can flow into the crust and mix with the crustal fluids due to the resulting convective flows in the crust-mantle system. Likewise, the crustal fluids can also flow into the upper mantle and mix with the mantle fluids. This kind of fluids mixing and exchange is very important to the better understanding of the governing processes that control the ore body formation and mineralization in the upper crust of the Earth.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 90814000,90814002)
文摘The North China Craton (NCC) is a classical example of ancient destroyed cratons.Since the initiation of the North China Craton Destruction Project by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,numerous studies have been conducted on the timing,scale,and mechanism of this destruction through combined interdisciplinary research.Available data suggest that the destruction occurred mainly in the eastern NCC,whereas the western NCC was only locally modified.The sedimentation,magmatic activities and structural deformation after cratonization at ～1.8 Ga indicate that the NCC destruction took place in the Mesozoic with a peak age of ca 125 Ma.A global comparison suggests that most cratons on Earth are not destroyed,although they have commonly experienced lithospheric thinning;destruction is likely to occur only when the craton has been disturbed by oceanic subduction.The destruction of the NCC was coincident with globally active plate tectonics and high mantle temperatures during the Cretaceous.The subducted Pacific slab destabilized mantle convection beneath the eastern NCC,which resulted in cratonic destruction in the eastern NCC.Delamination and/or thermal-mechanical-chemical erosion resulted from the destabilization of mantle convection.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 91014005, 40774045)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciencesthe CAS/SAFEA International Partnership Program for Creative Research Teams
文摘The gravity and topography of Venus obtained from observations of the Magellan mission, as well as the gravity and topography from our numerical mantle convection model, are discussed in this paper. We used the hypothesis that the geoid of degrees 2–40 is produced by sublithospheric mantle density anomalies that are associated with dynamical process within the mantle. We obtained the model dynamical admittance(the geoid topography ratio based on a convection model) by a numerical simulation of the Venusian mantle convection, and used it to correct the dynamical effect in the calculation of crustal thickness. After deducting the dynamical effect, the thickness of the Venusian crust is presented. The results show that the gravity and topography are strongly correlated with the Venusian mantle convection and the Venusian crust has a significant influence on the topography. The Venusian crustal thickness varies from 28 to 70 km. Ishtar Terra, and Ovda Regio and Thetis Regio in western Aphrodite Terra have the highest crustal thickness(larger than 50 km). The high topography of these areas is thought to be supported by crustal compensation and our results are consistent with the hypothesis that these areas are remnants of ancient continents. The crustal thickness in the Beta, Themis, Dione, Eistla, Bell, and Lada regiones is thin and shows less correlation with the topography, especially in the Atla and Imdr regiones in the eastern part of Aphrodite Terra. This is consistent with the hypothesis that these highlands are mainly supported by mantle plumes. Compared with the crustal thickness calculated with the dynamical effect, our results are more consistent with the crust evolution and internal dynamical process of Venus.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41474082,91014005)Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.KZCX2-YW-QN507)t
文摘This paper presents a study on the effects of phase transitions on the mantle convection of Venus in a three-dimensional （3D） spherical shell domain. Our model includes strong depth- and temperature-dependent viscosity and exothermic phase change from olivine to spinel as well as endothermic phase change from spinel to perovskite. From extensive numerical simulations of the effects of Rayleigh number （Ra）, and the Clapeyron slopes and depths of phase changes, we found the following： （1） The endothermic phase change prevents mass flow through the interface. Increasing the absolute value of the Clapeyron slopes decreases radial mass flux and normalized radial mass flux at the endotbermic phase boundary, and decreases the number of mantle plumes. In other words, mass flow through the phase boundary decreases. The inhibition influence of phase changes increases, as do convective wavelengths. （2） Increasing Ra also increases the convective wavelength and decreases the number of mantle plumes, but it has less influence on the mass exchange. As Ra increases, the convective vigor increases along with the radial mass flux and the mass flow through the phase boundary; however, the normalized mass flux through the phase boundary varies little with Ra, which is different from the conclusion that increasing Ra will greatly increase the inhibition of mass flow through the phase boundary based on two-dimensional （2D） modeling. （3） Increasing the depth of endothermic phase change will slightly decrease the number of mantle plumes, but has little effect on the mass flow through the phase boundary. Consistent with previous studies, our results show that the phase change from spinel to perovskite could inhibit the mass flow through the phase boundary, but they also show that the buildup of hot materials under the endothermic phase boundary in the 3D model could not be so large as to cause strong episodic overturns of mantle materials, which is quite different from previous 2D studies. Our results suggest that it is difficult for phase changes to cause significant magmatism on Venus; in other words, phase changes may not be the primary cause of catastrophic resurfacing on Venus.
