Mantle plume interaction with an endothermic phase change

Abstract

High spatial resolution numerical simulations of mantle plumes impinging from below on the endothermic phase change at 660‐km depth are used to investigate the effects of latent heat release on the plume‐phase change interaction. Both axisymmetric and planar upflows are considered, and the strong temperature dependence of mantle viscosity is taken into account. For plume strengths considered, a Clapeyron slope of −4 MPa K−1 prevents plume penetration of the phase change. Plumes readily penetrate the phase change for a Clapeyron slope of −2 MPa K−1 and arrive in the upper mantle considerably hotter than if they had not traversed the phase change. For the same amount of thermal drive, i.e., the same excess basal temperature, axisymmetric plumes are hotter upon reaching the upper mantle than are planar upwellings. Heating of plumes by their passage through the spinel‐perovskite endothermic phase change can have important consequences for the ability of the plume to thermally thin the lithosphere and cause melting and volcanism.