Thermal conductivity of Earth materials at high temperatures

Schatz, John F.; Simmons, Gene

doi:10.1029/jb077i035p06966

Cited by 413 publications

(206 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…As shown in Figure C1, these expressions lead to conductivity values that are significantly lower than those derived from the laboratory measurements of Schatz and Simmons [1972] and Schärmeli [1979].…”

Section: A2 Seismic Travel Time Calculationsmentioning

confidence: 92%

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Temperature and rheological properties of the mantle beneath the North American craton from an analysis of heat flux and seismic data

Lévy

Jaupart

2011

J. Geophys. Res.

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[1] We combine heat flux data and seismic velocity models for the North American lithosphere to derive constraints on thermal conditions and deformation mechanisms in the underlying convecting mantle. Local heat flux averages that are not affected by shallow crustal heat production contrasts allow calculation of reliable lithospheric geotherms and uncertainty ranges. For consistency with the seismic data, the mantle potential temperature beneath North America must lie within a 1290°C-1450°C range, close to that for the oceanic mantle sampled at mid-ocean ridges. The heat flux at the base of the lithosphere varies laterally from 11 ± 3 mW m −2 beneath the ∼250 km thick Archean core of the Superior province to 15 ± 3 mW m −2 beneath the thinner younger Appalachians province. It is shown that the most likely cause of such rates of heat supply into the North American continent is small-scale convection in an unstable boundary layer beneath the rigid mechanical lithosphere. This allows useful constraints on the mantle rheological properties. We show that the most likely deformation mechanism is dislocation creep in wet mantle rocks. Ranges for the mantle temperature, water content, and rheological parameters could be tightened very significantly once strong constraints are obtained on radiogenic heat production in the lithospheric mantle.Citation: Lévy, F., and C. Jaupart (2011), Temperature and rheological properties of the mantle beneath the North American craton from an analysis of heat flux and seismic data,

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Section: A2 Seismic Travel Time Calculationsmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…For temperatures higher than 700-800 K, radiative transport becomes important. Laboratory measurements by Schatz and Simmons [1972], Beck et al [1978], and Schärmeli [1979] have led to the following approximate relationship for the radiative contribution:…”

Section: Appendix C: Thermal Conductivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Temperature and rheological properties of the mantle beneath the North American craton from an analysis of heat flux and seismic data

Lévy

Jaupart

2011

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…the components of lattice conduction, and of radiation (Schatz and Simmons, 1972). The lattice contribution decreases rapidly with increasing temperature, especially at low temperatures, as expected for the lithosphere, for example, T < 1440 K for depth above 70 km (Schatz and Simmons, 1972;Hofmeister, 1999). On the other hand, the radiative contribution increases rapidly with increasing temperature, especially at high temperatures, for example, T > 1870 K for depth below 670 km (Schatz and Simmons, 1972;Hofmeister, 1999;Clark, 1957).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 74%

“…Thermal conductivity can be divided into two components with different physics, i.e. the components of lattice conduction, and of radiation (Schatz and Simmons, 1972). The lattice contribution decreases rapidly with increasing temperature, especially at low temperatures, as expected for the lithosphere, for example, T < 1440 K for depth above 70 km (Schatz and Simmons, 1972;Hofmeister, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of lattice thermal conductivity on thermal convection with strongly temperature-dependent viscosity

2005

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To examine the effects of temperature-dependent lattice thermal conductivity (lattice-k) on the thermal convection with a temperature-dependent viscous fluid, particularly on the upper thermal boundary layer, we have studied numerically 2-D thermal convective flows with both constant thermal conductivity (constant-k) and lattice-k models. Numerical experiments with large viscosity contrasts, greater than a million, produce a cooler and thinner upper thermal boundary layer for the lattice-k compared with those for the constant-k, implying that thermal convection with lattice-k produces a much sharper boundary between the lithosphere and asthenosphere. The differences between the constant-k and lattice-k can be reasonably explained by the following two causes: (i) the decreasing lattice-k with depth increases an effective Rayleigh number around the bottom of the thermal boundary layer, and (ii) the distribution of lattice-k and uniform vertical heat flux within the thermal boundary layer determine the temperature distribution. The predicted sharper boundary, i.e. sharper vertical viscosity gradient near the bottom of the lithosphere, may play an important role on controlling the amount of lithospheric deformation associated with the downwelling.

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“…To calculate •(z), we note that for simple shear 2•(z)= cr/r!.,.h(Z) for a constant stress o'chosen such that the depth-integrated shear rate equals the plate rate uo: 6(X) km 6(X) km uo = 2 •dz = cr . If we assume a Jr(T) relationship derived from the thermal conductivity relation of Schatz and Simmons [1972], assume a 4%/GPa increase in the lattice conduction part of the thermal dif- Behavior of r/sh (P, T). We assume that deforrp.…”

Section: Deformation and Coolingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of anisotropy on oceanic upper mantle temperatures, structure, and dynamics

Hearn¹,

Humphreys²,

Chai³

et al. 1997

J. Geophys. Res.

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Abstract. Olivine and orthopyroxene crystals composing the oceanic upper mantle align under progressive simple shear strain. Because the thermal diffusivities (r) and viscosities of these minerals are anisotropic, mineral alignment affects vertical heat flow and upper mantle dynamics. The vertical thermal diffusivity of upper mantle peridotite decreases with progressive simple shear strain, leading to higher temperatures in the shallow upper mantle than predicted by an isotropic half:space cooling model. This, in turn, causes higher surface heat flow, shallower ocean basins, weaker asthenosphere, and slightly thinner lithosphere. Viscosity associated with an oriented simple shear strain (r/sh), such as that caused by plate motion, also evolves with progressive strain, though r/sh at high strains has not been characterized. Regardless of the evolution of r/.,.h with strain, the effects of thermal diffusivity anisotropy on upper mantle temperatures, surface heat flow, lithosphere thickness, asthenosphere viscosity and shear stress at the plate bottom remain evident. Shear heating elevates the geotherm by more than r anisotropy except in the youngest o,'ean and in cases with significant shear weakening or a slowly moving plate (less than -3 cm/yr). The magnitude of shear heating effects depends on how r/sh increases or decreases at high strains.For models in which •sh increases as a function of strain, shear heating elevates temperatures beyond reasonable upper mantle estimates (i.e., above 1400øC), suggesting that such strain . induced viscosity increases are not likely. We present a model for ocean upper mantle cooling and deformation that includes upper mantle thermal diffusivity anisotropy and shear heating. This model predicts heat flow, shear wave split times, lithosphere thicknesses, and basin depths which are consistent with observations but suggests that basal tractions on ocean plates are lower than previously thought.

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Thermal conductivity of Earth materials at high temperatures

Cited by 413 publications

References 24 publications

Temperature and rheological properties of the mantle beneath the North American craton from an analysis of heat flux and seismic data

Temperature and rheological properties of the mantle beneath the North American craton from an analysis of heat flux and seismic data

Influence of lattice thermal conductivity on thermal convection with strongly temperature-dependent viscosity

Effect of anisotropy on oceanic upper mantle temperatures, structure, and dynamics

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