Mantle Dynamics: An Introduction and Overview

Abstract

Mantle dynamics is the study of how the Earth and solid planets and moons cool, evolve, and flow under the action of thermal convection. This chapter provides an overview of key historical figures in the development of the science of thermal convection and mantle dynamics, a summary of issues that are well studied and for which our knowledge is reasonably complete, the leading issues which remain unsolved, and some new and future directions for the next generation of mantle dynamics models. This volume as a whole is essentially composed of two parts. First, it treats the physics of mantle convection and covers the various laboratory, theoretical, and computational approaches to studying mantle dynamics. Second, it provides thorough reviews of the first-order issues of convection pertinent specifically to the mantle, which include the energy budget and cooling history of the mantle; the generation of plate tectonics from mantle convection; the dynamics of mid-ocean ridges, lithosphere, and upper mantle; subduction zones and descending slabs; hotspots and mantle plumes; dynamics of the core-mantle boundary region; and and mantle heterogeneity, mixing and geochemical constraints on mantle dynamics.