Further details on the applicability of Thellier paleointensity method: The effect of magnitude of laboratory field

Twenty years after Tanaka and Kono's pioneering contribution (Tanaka and Kono, 1984), we give some new details on the effect of applied field strength during Thellier paleointensity experiments. Special attention is paid to the relation of magnitude of laboratory field and Coe's quality factors (Coe et al., 1978). Full thermoremanent magnetizations were imparted on natural samples containing low-Ti titanomagnetites of pseudo-single domain structure in a 40-μT magnetic field from 600?°C to room temperature. The samples were subjected to the routine Thellier procedure using a wide range of applied laboratory fields. Results indicate that values of laboratory fields may be accurately reproduced within 2% of standard error. The quality factors, however, decrease when the magnitude of ‘ancient’ field does not match to applied laboratory fields. To cite this article: J. Morales et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

Some characteristics of geomagnetic reversals inferred from detailed volcanic records

The transitional virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) of the five most detailed records lie within the longitudinal bands of America, western Europe and eastern Asia. This distribution does not support the hypothesis of a direct link with heterogeneities of the lower mantle underneath Americas and eastern Asia. A similar distribution of VGPs persists by adding less detailed records and show similarities with the distribution of maximum inclination anomalies predicted by time-averaged field models. However, the two databases are far too limited to infer any recurrence of non-dipole components during reversals. Clusters of VGPs are observed in most records at various geographical locations without preference for specific longitudes, which most likely result from intense volcanism during short time periods rather than from transitional dipolar states.     

Absolute paleointensity of the Earth's magnetic field during Jurassic: case study of La Negra Formation (northern Chile)

We carried out a detailed rock-magnetic and paleointensity study of the ～187-Ma volcanic succession from northern Chile. A total of 32 consecutive lava flows (about 280 oriented standard paleomagnetic cores) were collected at the Tocopilla locality. Only 26 samples with apparently preserved primary magnetic mineralogy and without secondary magnetization components were pre-selected for Thellier paleointensity determination. Eleven samples coming from four lava flows yielded reliable paleointensity estimates. The flow-mean virtual dipole moments range from 3.7±0.9 to $\text{7.1±0.5}\text{(10}{}^{22}$ A m²). This corresponds to a mean value of (5.0±1.8)×10²² A m², which is in reasonably good agreement with other comparable quality paleointensity determinations from the Middle Jurassic. Given the large dispersion and the very poor distribution of reliable absolute intensity data, it is hard to draw any firm conclusions regarding the time evolution of the geomagnetic field. To cite this article: J. Morales et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

Thermal and compositional stratification of the inner core

The improvements of the knowledge of the seismic structure of the inner core and the complexities thereby revealed ask for a dynamical origin. Sub-solidus convection was one of the early suggestions to explain the seismic anisotropy, but it requires an unstable density gradient either from thermal or compositional origin, or from both. Temperature and composition profiles in the inner core are computed using a unidimensional model of core evolution including diffusion in the inner core and fractional crystallisation at the inner core boundary (ICB). The thermal conductivity of the core has been recently revised upwardly and, moreover, found to increase with depth. Values of the heat flow across the core mantle boundary (CMB) sufficient to maintain convection in the whole outer core are not sufficient to make the temperature in the inner core super-isentropic and therefore prone to thermal instability. An unreasonably high CMB heat flow is necessary to this end. The compositional stratification results from a competition of the increase of the concentration of light elements in the outer core with inner core growth, which makes the inner core concentration also increase, and of the decrease of the liquidus, which makes the partition coefficient decrease as well as the concentration of light elements in the solid. While the latter (destabilizing) effect dominates at small inner core sizes, the former takes over for a large inner core. The turnover point is encountered for an inner core about half its current size in the case of S, but much larger for the case of O. The combined thermal and compositional buoyancy is stabilizing and solid-state convection in the inner core appears unlikely, unless an early double-diffusive instability can set in.     

Further absolute geomagnetic paleointensities from Baja California: evaluation of Pliocene and Early/Middle Pleistocene data

From a large collection (more than 300 oriented cores) of Baja California Mio-Pliocene volcanic units, sampled for magnetostratigraphy and tectonics, 46 samples were selected for Thellier paleointensity experiments because of their low viscosity index, stable remanent magnetization and close to reversible continuous thermomagnetic curves. 19 samples, coming from 4 individual basaltic lava flows, yielded reliable paleointensity estimates with the flow-mean virtual dipole moments (VDM) ranging from 3.6 to 6.2 ×10²² A m². Our results, although not numerous, are of high technical quality and comparable to other paleointensity data recently obtained on younger lava flows. The NRM fractions used for paleointensity determination range from 38 to 79% and the quality factors vary between 4.8 and 16.7, being normally greater than 5. The combination of Baja California data with the available comparable quality Plio-Plesitocene paleointensity results yields a mean VDM of 6.3 ×10²² A m², which is almost 80% of the present geomagnetic axial dipole. Reliable paleointensity results for the last 5 Ma are still scarce and of dissimilar quality, which makes it hard to draw any firm conclusions regarding the Pliocene and Early/Middle Pleistocene evolution of the geomagnetic field. To cite this article: J. Morales et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2016.08.003

The primordial crust on the Earth formed from the crystallization of the surface magma ocean during the Hadean. However, geological surveys have found no evidence of rocks dating back to more than 4 Ga on the Earth's surface, suggesting the Hadean crust was lost due to some processes. We investigated the subduction of one of the possible candidates for the primordial crust, anorthosite and KREEP crust similar to the Moon, which is also considered to have formed from the crystallization of the magma ocean. Similar to the present Earth, the subduction of primordial crust by subduction erosion is expected to be an effective way of eliminating primordial crust from the surface. In this study, the subduction rate of the primordial crust via subduction channels is evaluated by numerical simulations. The subduction channels are located between the subducting slab and the mantle wedge and are comprised of primordial crust materials supplied mainly by subduction erosion. We have found that primordial anorthosite and KREEP crust of up to ～50 km thick at the Earth's surface was able to be conveyed to the deep mantle within 0.1-2 Gy by that mechanism.     

First rocks sampled in Antarctica (1840): Insights into the landing area and the Terre Adélie craton

In January 1840, Dumont d’Urville's expedition landed along the coast of “Terre Adélie” and took three rock specimens, the first ever sampled on the Antarctic continent. The petrological and geochemical study of these samples, stored at the “Muséum national d’histoire naturelle”, in Paris, characterizes them as migmatitic cordierite + microcline-bearing paragneiss and mesocratic quartz + biotite-bearing amphibolite. The paragneiss reached 670 °C at 3.2 kbar, suggesting an abnormal high-T gradient of ca. 60 °C/km during the regional metamorphism that affected the “Terre Adélie” craton 1.7 Ga ago. The studied samples are identical to the rocks observed at the “Rocher du Débarquement”, confirming that this was the actual landing place. On the other hand, quartz diorite and volcanic rocks reportedly sampled in Adélie Land during the same expedition and stored at Le Mans and Toulouse Museums do not originate from Antarctica. The examination of Dumont d’Urville's map suggests an icecap shrinking by 9 km in the landing area since 1840.     

Estimates of heat flow from Cenozoic seafloor using global depth and age data

The total heat output of the Earth constrains models of mantle and core dynamics. Previously published estimates (42–44 TW) have recently been questioned because the measured conductive heat flow on young oceanic lithosphere is about a factor of 2 less than the expected heat flow based on half-space cooling models. Taking the conductive ocean heat flow values at face value reduces the global heat flow from 44 to 31 TW, which has major implications for geodynamics and Earth history. To help resolve this issue, we develop a new method of estimating total oceanic heat flow from depth and age data. The overall elevation of the global ridge system, relative to the deep ocean basins, provides an independent estimate of the total heat content of the lithosphere. Heat flow is proportional to the measured subsidence rate times the heat capacity divided by the thermal expansion coefficient. The largest uncertainty in this method is due to uncertainties in the thermal expansion coefficient and heat capacity. Scalar subsidence rate is computed from gradients of depth and age grids. The method cannot be applied over very young seafloor (< 3 Ma) where age gradient is discontinuous and the assumption of isostasy is invalid. Between 3 and 66 Ma, the new estimates are in agreement with half-space cooling model. Our model-independent estimate of the total heat output of Cenozoic seafloor is 18.6 to 20.5 TW, which leads to a global output of 42 to 44 TW in agreement with previous studies.     

Effects of Young's modulus on fault displacement

Elastic crack models predict a linear relationship between displacement (u) and rupture (trace) length (L) during slip in a fault zone. Attempts to find universal-scaling laws for L/u, however, have generally failed. Here I propose that these attempts have failed because they do not take into account the changes in the mechanical properties, in particular Young's modulus (stiffness), of the fault zone as it evolves. I propose that Young's modulus affects fault displacement both spatially and temporally: spatially when the trace of a fault at a given time dissects host rocks of different stiffnesses, and temporally when the stiffness of the fault zone itself changes. During the evolution of an active fault zone, the effective Young's modulus of its damage zone and fault core normally decreases, and so does the L/u ratio of the fault. By contrast, during inactive periods sealing and healing of the damage zone and core may increase the stiffness, hence the L/u ratio in subsequent slips. This model predicts that not only will the scaling of L/u within a given fault population vary in space and time, but also that of individual faults. To cite this article: A. Gudmundsson, C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

The seismological picture of the inner core: structure and rotation

This paper presents a review of recent results concerning the structure and the rotation of the inner core, as inferred from seismological observations. We first focus on the apparent hemispherical pattern of the inner core structure, observed in both the anisotropy and the heterogeneity of the uppermost layers, whereas isotropic velocities seem to be homogeneous in a broad wavelength domain. Then we present results on the radial variations of the attenuation and its possible anisotropy, for which viscoelasticity and wave scattering provide complementary explanations. Linked to these results is a discussion about the detection of the PKJKP phase, which propagates as S-wave inside the inner core. Finally, the seismological observations of a possible inner core rotation are discussed; recent results seem to favour rotation rates below 0.2° yr^?1.     

A methane fuse for the Cambrian explosion: carbon cycles and true polar wander

The dramatic diversification of animal groups known as the Cambrian Explosion (evolution's ‘Big Bang’) remains an unsolved puzzle in Earth Science. The Vendian–Cambrian interval is characterized by anomalously high rates of apparent plate motion, interpreted as True Polar Wander (TPW), and by more than a dozen large, high-frequency perturbations in carbon isotopes that dwarf all others observed through the past 65 million years. We suggest that these biological, tectonic, and geochemical events are intimately related in the following fashion. First, tropical continental margins and shelf-slopes which formed during fragmentation of the supercontinent Rodinia accumulated massive quantities of isotopically-light organic carbon during Late Neoproterozoic time, as indicated by strikingly heavy isotope ratios in inorganic carbon during interglacial intervals. Second, an initial phase of Vendian TPW moved these organic-rich deposits to high latitude, where conditions favored trapping biogenic methane in layers of gas hydrate and perhaps permafrost. Continued sedimentation during Late Vendian time added additional hydrate/gas storage volume and stabilized underlying units until the geothermal gradient moved them out of the clathrate stability field, building up deep reservoirs of highly pressurized methane. Finally, a burst of TPW brought these deposits back to the Tropics, where they gradually warmed and were subjected to regional-scale thermohaline eddy variation and related sedimentation regime changes. Responding to the stochastic character of such changes, each reservoir reached a critical failure point independently at times throughout the Cambrian. By analogy with the Late Paleocene Thermal Maximum event, these methane deposits yield transient, greenhouse-induced pulses of global warming when they erupt. Temperature correlates powerfully with biodiversity; the biochemical kinetics of metabolism at higher temperature decrease generation time and maintain relatively rich and dense invertebrate populations. Repeated thermal pulses along with progressive disruption and alteration of global ocean circulation patterns by TPW could cause the increase in diversity that accompanied the radiation of metazoans. We suggest that a methane ‘fuse’ ignited the Cambrian Evolutionary Explosion.     

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2016.06.013

The Archean continental crusts account for ca.20% of the present volume,but the thermal history of the Earths' mantle suggests much more continental crusts were formed in the early Archean.Because the Archean continental crust underwent severe metamorphism,it is important to avoid influence by the later thermal events.We carried out a comprehensive geochronological work of Cathodoluminescence(CL) observation and U-Pb dating of zircons from orthogneisses and supracrustal rocks over the Saglek Block to obtain their protolith ages.The zircons were classified into three domains of core,mantle and rims,and the cores were further classified into three groups of inherited,altered and zoned cores based on the zonation on the CL images.We estimated the protolith ages from Pb-Pb ages of the zoned-cores of zircons with low U contents.We made a detailed sketch of a small outcrop in St.John's Harbour South(SJHS) area,and classified the orthogneisses and mafic enclaves into seven generations based on the geologic occurrence.The first and second generations comprise mafic rocks and lack magmatic zircons.We conducted CL imaging and U-Pb dating of zircons from the third,sixth and seventh generation of the orthogneisses to estimate the protolith ages at 3902 L 25,3892 ± 33 and 3897 ± 33 Ma for each,supporting the presence of the over 3.9 Ca Iqaluk Gneiss.The geological occurrence that the mafic rocks occur as enclaves within the 3.9 Ga Iqaluk Gneiss indicates that they are the oldest supracrustal rocks in the world.Our geochronological and geological studies show the Uivak Gneiss is quite varied in lithology and age from 3.6 to 3.9 Ga,and tentatively classified into six groups based on their ages.The oldest Uivak Gneiss components including the Iqaluk Gneiss are present around the SJHS area,and the orthogneisses become young as it is away.The lines of evidence of overprinting of younger granitoid on older granitoid in small outcrops and geological-map scale as well as presence of inherited zircons even in the oldest suite suggests that crustal reworking played an important role on erasing the ancient crusts.     

The deep geothermal potential of the Berlin area

In this study, we model the geothermal potential of deep geological formations located in the Berlin region in Germany. Berlin is situated in a sedimentary geological setting (northeastern German basin), comprising low-enthalpic aquifers at horizons down to 4–5 km depth. In the Berlin region, the temperature increases almost linearly with depth by about 30 K per kilometer, thus allowing for direct heating from deep aquifer reservoirs in principle. Our model incorporates eight major sedimentary units (Jurassic, Keuper, Muschelkalk, Upper/Middle/Lower Buntsandstein, Zechstein Salt and Sedimentary Rotliegend). Owing to lack of available petro-physical rock data for the Berlin region, we have evaluated literature data for the larger northeastern German basin to develop a thermodynamic field model which regards depth-corrected equations of state within statistical intervals of confidence. Integration over the thicknesses of the respective structural units yields their “heat in place”—energy densities associated with the pore fluid and the rock matrix under local conditions in Joule per unit area at the surface. The model predicts that aquifers in the Middle Buntsandstein and in the Sedimentary Rotliegend may well exhibit energy densities about 10 GJ m^?2 for the pore fluids and 20 GJ m^?2 to 40 GJ m^?2 for the rock matrices on average. Referring these figures to the city area of Berlin (about 892 km²), a significant hydrothermal potential results, which however remained undeveloped until today for the reason of present development risks. The model accounts for these risks through statistical intervals of confidence which are in the order of ±60 to ±80 % of the trend figures. To minimize these uncertainties, scientific field explorations were required in order to assess the petro-physical aquifer properties locally.     

La vague de chaleur de l'été 2003 et sa prévision saisonnière

The main features of the heat wave that has affected western Europe during the summer 2003 are first recalled, with particular concern to analogies and differences with previous warm-summer episodes. The skills of the various operational and pre-operational seasonal forecasting models in use at that time are evaluated. None of them has been able to consistently forecast the heat wave three month in advance. The meteorological and climatic situation prevailing during spring 2003 is then analysed. A strong sea-surface-temperature (SST) anomaly is found to have developed over North Atlantic a few months before the heat wave. The particular mechanism at work to explain the occurrence of the heat wave is not a ‘simple downwind influence’ of the SST anomaly. It very likely involves complex ocean–atmosphere interaction phenomena of a kind that is not properly taken into account in today's seasonal forecasting models. To cite this article: J.-C. André et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Performance and Sustainability of District-Scale Ground Coupled Heat Pump Systems

This study proposes a solution to the problem of maintaining the performance and sustainability of district-scale, cooling-dominated ground coupled heat pump (GCHP) systems. These systems tend to overheat because heat dissipates slowly in relation to the size of the borefields. To demonstrate this problem, a 2000-borehole field is considered at a district-scale GCHP system in the Upper Midwest, US. The borefield’s ground and fluid temperature responses to its design heating and cooling loads are simulated using computational fluid dynamics implemented by applying the finite volume method. The ground temperature is predicted by applying the thermal loads uniformly over the borefield and simulating heat dissipation to the surrounding geology through conduction coupled with advection due to groundwater flow. The results show that a significant energy imbalance will develop in the ground after the first few years of GCHP operation, even with high rates of groundwater flow. The model presented in this study predicts that the temperature at the center of the borefield will reach 18 °C after 5 years and approximately 50 °C after 20 years of operation in the absence of any mitigation strategies. The fluid temperature in the boreholes is then simulated using a single borehole model to estimate the heat pump coefficient of performance, which decreases as the modeled system heats up. To balance the energy inputs/outputs to the ground—thus maintaining the system’s performance—an operating scheme utilizing cold-water circulation during the winter is evaluated. Under the simulated conditions, this mitigation strategy carries the excess energy out of the borefield. Therefore, the proposed mitigation strategy may be a viable measure to sustaining the operating efficiency of cooling-dominated, district-scale borefields in climates with cold winters.     

A late Neoarchaean–early Palaeoproterozoic crustal thickening event in the eastern North China Craton: petrological and geochronological evidence from Eastern Hebei terrane

Determining an age framework for Precambrian crystalline rocks and associated granulite-facies metamorphism of the inner blocks in the North China Craton (NCC) is important for determining the tectonic setting and evolution of the craton during the Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic. The Eastern Hebei terrane (EHT), located in the Eastern Block of the NCC, is composed of tonalitic-trondhjemitic-granodioritic (TTG) gneisses and potassium-rich granitoids, along with rafts of supracrustal rocks that are intruded by basic dikes. TTG gneisses in the EHT yield crystallization ages of 2516–2527 Ma. The oldest age of inherited zircons from a mylonitic TTG gneiss is ~2918 Ma. Granulite-facies supracrustal metamorphic rocks in the Zunhua high-grade meta-greenstone belt indicate an andesitic/basaltic protolith that was formed at ~2498 Ma. A syn-deformational granite in the Jinchangyu greenschist-facies shear zone yields a crystallization age of ~2474 Ma. Metamorphism of the supracrustal rocks and mylonitic greenschist took place at ~2461 and ~2475 Ma, respectively. Rare earth elements (REE) patterns and slightly negative Nb and Ta anomalies indicate that the magmatic precursors of the supracrustal rocks might be derived from partial melting of a sub-arc mantle wedge and metasomatized by fluids derived from a subducting slab. These rocks plot in the island arc basalts (IAB) field on a La/Nb vs. La diagram, further supporting this interpretation. The microstructures of a garnet–two-pyroxene granulite indicate an approximately clockwise P-T path. The crystallization ages of the TTG gneisses represent periods of the major crustal growth in the NCC, and the granulite- and greenschist-facies metamorphism indicates an orogenic event that involved crustal thickening at ~2.47 Ga.     

Geochemistry and zircon U–Pb–Hf isotopes of the 780 Ma I-type granites in the western Yangtze Block: petrogenesis and crustal evolution

ABSTRACT

Neoproterozoic I-type granites could provide vital insights into the crust–mantle interaction and the crustal evolution along the western Yangtze Block, South China. This paper presents new zircon U–Pb ages, bulk-rock geochemistry, and in situ zircon Lu–Hf isotope on the Dalu I-type granites from the southwestern Yangtze Block. Zircon U–Pb dating show the crystallization ages of 781.1 ± 2.8 Ma for granodiorites and 779.8 ± 2.0 Ma for granites, respectively. The Dalu granodiorites are Na-rich, calc-alkaline, metaluminous to slightly peraluminous (A/CNK = 0.94–1.08). Zircons from granodiorite have positive εHf(t) values (+2.16 to +7.39) with crustal model ages of 1.21–1.54 Ga, indicating juvenile mafic lower crust source. The Dalu granites are high-K calc-alkaline, peraluminous rocks. They have variable zircon εHf(t) values (?4.65 to +5.80) with crustal model ages of 1.31–1.97 Ga, suggesting that they were derived from the mature metasediment-derived melts by the mixing of newly formed mafic lower crust-derived melts. The geochemical variations in Dalu pluton is dominated not only by the different source rocks but also by the different melting temperatures. Combining with the geochemistry and isotopic compositions of I-type granitoids and tectonic setting in the western Yangtze Block, we propose that the Dalu I-type granodiorites–granites associations are the magmatic response from different crustal levels, which were induced by the heat anomaly due to the asthenosphere upwelling in the subduction-related setting.     

Experimental determination of the partitioning of gallium between solid iron metal and synthetic basaltic melt: Electron and ion microprobe study

The distribution of Ga between solid Fe metal and synthetic basaltic melt has been investigated experimentally at two temperatures over a limited range of oxygen fugacities. Reversal experiments were conducted, indicating a close approach to equilibrium. Analysis of run products was performed using an electron and an ion microprobe. At 1 bar total pressure, the solid metal/silicate melt partition coefficient. D(Ga), is given by: 1190°C: logD(Ga) = ?0.92 logfO₂ ? 11.91330°C: logD(Ga) = ?0.77 logfO₂ ? 8.8. For the common assumption of a valence state for Ga of 3 in silicates and assuming ideal solution of Ga in both phases, a slope of ?0.75 is predicted. The slope obtained at 1300°C (?0.77) is indistinguishable from this value, while the slope at 1190°C (?0.92) is somewhat higher. Henry's law is obeyed over the concentration range 0.007 wt.% to 0.15 wt.% Ga in metal, a factor of 20 in concentration. These partition coefficients may be utilized to evaluate metal/silicate fractionation processes in the Earth, Moon and Eucrite Parent Body. The lunar mantle appears to be depleted in Ga by a factor of 20–40 relative to CI abundances. This depletion is consistent with extraction of Ga into a geophysically plausible lunar core if Ga was initially present at a subchondritic concentration. A similar explanation probably accounts for the depletion of Ga in the Eucrite Parent Body. The upper mantle of the Earth appears to be depleted in Ga by a factor of 4– 7 relative to CI abundances. This depletion is far smaller than would be expected as a result of core formation, but is consistent with two quite different hypotheses: (i) a small amount of solid metal and sulfur-bearing metallic liquid was retained in the mantle after core formation; or (ii) addition of a late-stage chondritic component involving 5% to 10% of the upper mantle following core formation.     

Évidences paléomagnétiques et paléontologiques en faveur d'une position antipodale du craton Ouest-Africain et de la Chine du Nord : conséquences paléogéographiques

Reappraisal of the palaeomagnetic data previously published about the West African Craton and their comparison with the most recent information obtained on doleritic dykes and stromatolite-bearing formations allow us to propose, after a critical examination of the old geochronological data, a new path for the West African Craton between 2200 and 700 Ma. This path has been compared with that of eastern China (which can be simply divided into a northern and a southern China block) between 1400 and 700 Ma. We can observe that these two blocks show a common path before their accretion to the Rodinia super-continent. These two blocks, which were located close the equator and at the outboard of Rodinia at about 1000 Ma, were also characterized by identical stromatolitic assemblages. This result shows that West Africa and Eastern China represented the antipodal continental margins of Rodinia. One can also deduce from our data that the accretion of Rodinia mainly resulted from north–south-oriented displacements. To cite this article: J.-P. Lefort et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Thermodynamical constraints on the crystallization of a deep magma-ocean on Earth

It has been argued that the crystallization of the magma ocean (MO) after the Moon-forming impact led to the formation of a basal magma ocean (BMO). We search which primordial conditions of pressure, temperature and chemical composition could be compatible with such scenario, based on thermodynamical constraints. The major requirement is an early formation of a viscous layer (VL) of mantle material (i.e. bridgmanite (Bg)) at mid lower-mantle depth, which could insulate thermally and chemically the BMO from the rest of the mantle. To produce such VL, Bg grains should be: (i) neutrally buoyant at mid lower-mantle depths, (ii) sufficiently abundant to produce an efficient insulating layer, and (iii) aggregated to the boundary layer from above and below. The first and the second require a large amount of MO crystallization, up to more than 45%, even in the most favorable case of all Fe partitioning into the melt. The latter is very questionable because the Bg grains have a very small settling velocity. We also investigate different scenarios of MO crystallization to provide constraints on the resulting core temperature. Starting from a fully molten Earth, a temperature as high as ～4725 K could be found at the core–mantle boundary (CMB), if the Bg grains settle early atop the CMB. Such a basal layer of Bg can efficiently decouple from each other the cooling rates of the core and the mantle above the VL. If the settling velocity of Bg grains is too low and/or the MO is too turbulent, such basal VL may not form. In this case, the CMB temperature after MO solidification should stabilize at ～4350 K. At this temperature, enough Bg grains are crystallized to make the mushy mantle viscous at any mantle depth.