Characterizing channels for transport of melt in mantle
Tuesday, August 31, 2010 - 09:28
in Earth & Climate
Rock in the Earth's mantle melts as it upwells toward the surface, as can be seen beneath mid-ocean ridge spreading centers. This buoyant melt rises through the mantle to the surface, where it solidifies and becomes part of the Earth's crust. However, the pathways through which mantle melt migrates have not been well understood. It had been suggested that channels through highly porous dunite rock provided pathways for mantle melt, but the depth and other features of these channels have not been known.