The four-stage evolution of Martian mantle inferred from numerical
simulation of the magmatism-mantle upwelling feedback
Abstract
To understand the overall features of the history of magmatic activities
and surface environment on Mars, I used a numerical model of magmatism
in the convecting mantle that is nominally anhydrous and internally
heated. Magmatism occurs as an upward permeable flow of basaltic magma
generated by decompression melting through matrix. The modeled mantle
evolves in four stages. In Stage I, high initial temperature in the
uppermost mantle causes an extensive magmatism intensified by two types
of positive feedback that operate between magmatism and mantle upwelling
flow, the MMUb and MMUc feedback: the buoyancy and volume change of
matrix, respectively, caused by migrating magma that a mantle upwelling
flow generates intensify the flow itself to generate more magma. The
stratification suppresses mantle convection and magmatism for the next
tens to hundreds of millions of years, allowing heat to build up in the
mantle by internal heating (Stage II). Eventually, magma is generated at
depth, and the MMUb feedback operates to cause an episodic plume
magmatism that releases water from the interior of Mars (Stage III). The
plume magmatism also stirs the mantle to make it more homogeneous and
extracts heat producing elements from the deep mantle to let the
magmatism itself wane and cease. In the final stage IV, mantle
convection becomes more like a thermal convection. The episodic
magmatism and water outgassing in Stage III account for the magmatism
and clement surface environment observed for early Mars.