Melting of recycled ancient crust responsible for the Gutenberg discontinuity

Jia Liu (), Naoto Hirano, Shiki Machida, Qunke Xia, Chunhui Tao, Shili Liao, Jin Liang, Wei Li, Weifang Yang, Guoying Zhang and Teng Ding
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Jia Liu: Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources
Naoto Hirano: Tohoku University
Shiki Machida: Chiba Institute of Technology, Ocean Resources Research Center for Next Generation
Qunke Xia: Zhejiang University
Chunhui Tao: Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources
Shili Liao: Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources
Jin Liang: Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources
Wei Li: Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources
Weifang Yang: Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources
Guoying Zhang: Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources
Teng Ding: Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract A discontinuity in the seismic velocity associated with the lithosphere-asthenosphere interface, known as the Gutenberg discontinuity, is enigmatic in its origin. While partial mantle melts are frequently suggested to explain this discontinuity, it is not well known which factors critically regulate the melt production. Here, we report geochemical evidence showing that the melt fractions in the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary were enhanced not only by accumulation of compacted carbonated melts related to recycled ancient marine sediments, but also by partial melting of a pyroxene-rich mantle domain related to the recycled oceanic eclogite/pyroxenites. This conclusion is derived from the first set of Mg isotope data for a suite of young petit-spot basalts erupted on the northwest Pacific plate, where a clearly defined Gutenberg discontinuity exists. Our results reveal a specific linkage between the Gutenberg discontinuity beneath the normal oceanic regions and the recycling of ancient subducted crust and carbonate through the deep Earth.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13958-w

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