Fluid dynamics of local martian magma oceans

The evolution of a melt region produced by a large impact during Mars formation is addressed. While some impact induced melt is redistributed during crater excavation, sufficiently large impacts (much larger than basin forming impacts) generate an intact melt region which is retained beneath the excavation zone, i.e., a local magma ocean. Local magma ocean evolution depends on the effective rheology controlling large scale deformation of the solid part of the planet, mechanism of crystallization, and melt region size. Within the uncertainties of various parameters, two scenarios are possible. For sufficiently weak rheology or large melt region size, evolution is characterized by rapid extrusion and formation of a global magma ocean. For sufficiently strong rheology or small melt region size, in situ crystallization to a partially molten solid state occurs prior to isostatic adjustment. Subsequent to in situ crystallization, local magma ocean evolution depends on melt region size and efficiency of lateral redistribution compared to bulk conductive cooling. For large melt regions, lateral spreading occurs via plastic deformation and results in an asymmetric, global, partial melt layer. For small melt region size, viscous spreading viscous can result in bulk cooling below the solidus prior to formation of a global layer. A hypothesis for the origin of the hemispherical crustal dichotomy and Tharsis rise is suggested. The dichotomy is associated with a global partial melt layer produced by evolution of a large, local magma ocean. After dichotomy formation, evolution of a second, smaller, local magma ocean is related to Tharsis development.     

Mantle convection with a brittle lithosphere: thoughts on the global tectonic styles of the Earth and Venus

Plates are an integral part of the convection system in the fluid mantle, but plate boundaries are the product of brittle faulting and plate motions are strongly influenced by the existence of such faults. The conditions for plate tectonics are studied by considering brittle behaviour, using Byerlee's law to limit the maximum stress in the lithosphere, in a mantle convection model with temperature-dependent viscosity.
When the yield stress is high, convection is confined below a thick, stagnant lithosphere. At low yield stress, brittle deformation mobilizes the lithosphere which becomes a part of the overall circulation; surface deformation occurs in localized regions close to upwellings and downwellings in the system. At intermediate levels of the yield stress, there is a cycling between these two states: thick lithosphere episodically mobilizes and collapses into the interior before reforming.
The mobile-lid regime resembles convection of a fluid with temperature-dependent viscosity and the boundary-layer scalings are found to be analogous. This regime has a well defined Nusselt number–Rayleigh number relationship which is in good agreement with scaling theory. The surface velocity is nearly independent of the yield stress, indicating that the 'plate' motion is resisted by viscous stresses in the mantle.
Analysis suggests that mobilization of the Earth's lithosphere can occur if the friction coefficient in the lithosphere is less than 0.03–0.13—lower than laboratory values but consistent with seismic field studies. On Venus, the friction coefficient may be high as a result of the dry conditions, and brittle mobilization of the lithosphere would then be episodic and catastrophic.     

Early martian dynamo generation due to giant impacts

During late-stage planet formation, giant impacts produce localized mantle melt regions within which impactor iron droplets settle to the bottom near a permeability horizon. After accumulation, iron heated by the impact migrates downward to the core through colder, mostly solid mantle. The degree of thermal equilibration and partitioning of viscous heating between impactor iron and silicates depends on the mechanism of iron transport to the core. Simple estimates suggest that, following a giant impact, the temperature difference between iron delivered to the core and the mantle outside the impact heated region can be ∼10³ K. Hot impactor iron mergers with the core where it may be efficiently mixed or remain stratified due to thermal buoyancy. In either case, collisional energy carried to the core by impactor iron helps establish conditions favorable for early core cooling and dynamo generation. In this study, we consider the end-member scenario in which impactor iron forms a layer at the top of the core. Energy transfer from the impactor iron layer to the mantle is sufficient to power a dynamo for up to ∼30 Myr even in the limit of a very viscous mantle and heat flux limited by conduction. Using two-dimensional finite element calculations of mantle convection, we show that large-scale mantle flow driven by the buoyancy of the impact thermal anomaly focuses plumes in the impact region and increases both dynamo strength and duration. Melting within the mantle thermal boundary layer likely leads to formation of a single superplume in the location of the impact anomaly driven upwelling. We suggest that formation of magnetized southern highland crust may be related to spreading and differentiation of an impact melt region during the impact-induced dynamo episode.     

Geosystem as an object of landscape study

GeoJournal - Systems' ideas are organically inherent in the integrational potential of geography. Analysis of evolution of understanding of a “geosystem” witnesses for ecologization...     

Entrainment from a bed of particles by thermal convection

Differentiation in magma chambers, in the Earth's core and in the partially molten early Earth is a competitive process between sedimentation and re-entrainment of crystals in the presence of convection. Previous studies show that the particles suspended in convective layers eventually settle and do so almost as fast as in the absence of convection. However, the nature and magnitude of the competing entrainment has remained unclear. Here we provide a simple theory and experimental evidence showing that entrainment occurs at the crests of dunes created in the particle bed at the base of a convecting fluid. In both laminar and turbulent regimes, the dune formation and entrainment are driven by viscous stresses produced by thermal plumes. At sufficiently high Rayleigh numbers the particles are probably entrained by Reynolds stresses. Entrainment in the Earth's core is hardly possible because it requires unreasonably small crystals. Entrainment of 10⁻²–10⁻¹ cm diameter crystals is very likely in magma oceans. For magma chambers entrainment requires large viscosities (> 10⁶ P) and even when it occurs, the total amount of the suspended solid fraction is very small.