Global Variations of Temperature and Water Content in the Mantle Transition Zone from Higher Mode Surface Waves

Global Variations of Temperature and Water Content in the Mantle Transition Zone from Higher Mode Surface Waves Mean water content variation from the unknown global mean in the mantle transition zone (top) together with the corresponding standard deviations (bottom).
<p>
We estimated lateral variations of temperature and water content in Earth’s mantle transition zone from models of transition zone thickness and S-wave velocity (Meier et al., 2009). The latter were obtained by a fully nonlinear inversion of surface wave overtone phase velocities using neural networks. Globally we observe a broader than previously reported transition zone and explain this by a broad olivine to wadsleyite transition at around 400 km depth where the minerals co-exist with water induced melt. Within the transition zone we observe relatively cold subduction zones as well as relatively warm regions beneath continents and hot spots. We find that the transition zone is wettest away from subduction zones.
</p><p>References
</p><p>Meier U., Trampert J., Curtis A., 2009. Global variations of temperature and water content in the mantle transition zone from higher mode surface waves, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 282, 91-101.</p>

Comments

No comments yet.

  •  

Welcome

Welcome to the IRIS Image Gallery – a diverse collection of photographs and visuals that encompass the range and breadth of seismology and the seismological community.

Please browse through our albums. These low and medium-resolution images can be freely used for personal and educational/academic purposes, but we request you recognize the image contributor by including in your product or presentation the credit displayed with each image.

More information is available in the Image Use Agreement.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions related to the IRIS Image Gallery, you can send them to gallery@iris.edu.

Photo info

  • Title: Global Variations of Temperature and Water Content in the Mantle Transition Zone from Higher Mode Surface Waves
  • Description: Global Variations of Temperature and Water Content in the Mantle Transition Zone from Higher Mode Surface Waves Mean water content variation from the unknown global mean in the mantle transition zone (top) together with the corresponding standard deviations (bottom).
    <p>
    We estimated lateral variations of temperature and water content in Earth’s mantle transition zone from models of transition zone thickness and S-wave velocity (Meier et al., 2009). The latter were obtained by a fully nonlinear inversion of surface wave overtone phase velocities using neural networks. Globally we observe a broader than previously reported transition zone and explain this by a broad olivine to wadsleyite transition at around 400 km depth where the minerals co-exist with water induced melt. Within the transition zone we observe relatively cold subduction zones as well as relatively warm regions beneath continents and hot spots. We find that the transition zone is wettest away from subduction zones.
    </p><p>References
    </p><p>Meier U., Trampert J., Curtis A., 2009. Global variations of temperature and water content in the mantle transition zone from higher mode surface waves, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 282, 91-101.</p>
  • File name: water.jpg
  • Owner: Rick Callender
  • Dimensions: 1958 x 2821 px

Popular tags