TRANSMANTLE (intratelluric) FLUID FLOWS: A NEW MODEL FOR PLUMES AND PLUME MAGMATISM
N.S. Zhatnuev
Geological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Sakh'yanovoi 6a, Ulan-Ude, 670047, Russia
Keywords: Mantle plumes, transmantle flows, fluid fracturing, magma fracturing, fluid cavities, excess pressure
Abstract
A fluid model for the formation of mantle plumes is proposed. During the emission of gas from the Earth’s core, it accumulates as lenses at the core-mantle boundary. Reaching a critical size, the lenses burst out into the mantle and migrate to the surface. A relatively stationary transmantle fluid flow from the core-mantle boundary appears, which heats the mantle and the layer interacting with it. The flow stops in the base of the hard lithosphere and spreads laterally, causing its melting accompanied by the formation of magma chambers, which, reaching critical sizes, massively intrude and flow out.
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