The contribution of locally tangential CMB-mantle flow and cold-source
subducting plates to ULVZ's formation and morphology
Abstract
Ultra-low velocity zones (ULVZs) above the Core-Mantle Boundary (CMB)
are significant structures probably connecting the lowermost mantle and
the outer core. As “thin patches” of dramatically low seismic-wave
velocity, they are occasionally found near the base of mantle plumes and
in-or-near high seismic-wave speed regions above CMB. The causes of
their morphology-distribution and geodynamics remain unclear, and
simulation results of high-density melt diverge from
seismic-observations speculation (~+10%). We introduce
a 2D time-dependent Stokes’ two-phase-flow (with melt-migration)
numerical model to investigate the formation and morphological
characteristics of ULVZs caused by CMB-mantle tangential flows and a
neighboring cold source (subducted plate). We discover that (a) the
participation of cold sources with temperature differences between
~4000 °K at the plume central regions to
<~3900 °K at the plume-cooling mantle region,
separated by horizontal distances of about 100 (±<50) km are
necessary for the stable existence of dense melts with mass-density
difference >+1-2% (even +10%) with respect to the
surrounding mantle; and additionally (b) an enhanced tangential flow
coincident with the internal reverse circulation within the broad plume
base (with speeds >3 times the lowermost-mantle
characteristic flow speed); are necessary for higher
aspect-ratio-morphology lenses compatible with seismic observations. Our
findings suggest that the CMB-mantle tangential flow and/or outer-core
interacting with CMB-topography, may be implicated in generating
mega-ULVZs, especially if they appear along the edges of LLVSPs and
especially when in/near high seismic-speed “cold” zones. We infer a
strong link between ULVZs morphology and the dynamical environment of
the lowermost mantle and uppermost outer core.