Seismological expression of the iron spin crossover in ferropericlase in the Earth’s lower mantle

Grace E. Shephard (), Christine Houser, John W. Hernlund, Juan J. Valencia-Cardona, Reidar G. Trønnes and Renata M. Wentzcovitch ()
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Grace E. Shephard: University of Oslo
Christine Houser: Tokyo Institute of Technology
John W. Hernlund: Tokyo Institute of Technology
Juan J. Valencia-Cardona: Intel Corporation
Reidar G. Trønnes: University of Oslo
Renata M. Wentzcovitch: Columbia University

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract The two most abundant minerals in the Earth’s lower mantle are bridgmanite and ferropericlase. The bulk modulus of ferropericlase (Fp) softens as iron d-electrons transition from a high-spin to low-spin state, affecting the seismic compressional velocity but not the shear velocity. Here, we identify a seismological expression of the iron spin crossover in fast regions associated with cold Fp-rich subducted oceanic lithosphere: the relative abundance of fast velocities in P- and S-wave tomography models diverges in the ~1,400-2,000 km depth range. This is consistent with a reduced temperature sensitivity of P-waves throughout the iron spin crossover. A similar signal is also found in seismically slow regions below ~1,800 km, consistent with broadening and deepening of the crossover at higher temperatures. The corresponding inflection in P-wave velocity is not yet observed in 1-D seismic profiles, suggesting that the lower mantle is composed of non-uniformly distributed thermochemical heterogeneities which dampen the global signature of the Fp spin crossover.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26115-z

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