Experimental evidence supporting a global melt layer at the base of the Earth’s upper mantle

D. Freitas, G. Manthilake (), F. Schiavi, J. Chantel, N. Bolfan-Casanova, M. A. Bouhifd and D. Andrault
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D. Freitas: Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans
G. Manthilake: Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans
F. Schiavi: Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans
J. Chantel: Case Western Reserve University
N. Bolfan-Casanova: Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans
M. A. Bouhifd: Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans
D. Andrault: Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract The low-velocity layer (LVL) atop the 410-km discontinuity has been widely attributed to dehydration melting. In this study, we experimentally reproduced the wadsleyite-to-olivine phase transformation in the upwelling mantle across the 410-km discontinuity and investigated in situ the sound wave velocity during partial melting of hydrous peridotite. Our seismic velocity model indicates that the globally observed negative Vs anomaly (−4%) can be explained by a 0.7% melt fraction in peridotite at the base of the upper mantle. The produced melt is richer in FeO (~33 wt.%) and H2O (~16.5 wt.%) and its density is determined to be 3.56–3.74 g cm−3. The water content of this gravitationally stable melt in the LVL corresponds to a total water content in the mantle transition zone of 0.22 ± 0.02 wt.%. Such values agree with estimations based on magneto-telluric observations.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02275-9

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