The global hotspot distribution and instability of D (double prime)

Details The global hotspot distribution and instability of D (double prime) The global hotspot distribution and instability of D (double prime)

Jul 1994

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994georl..21.1507r&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters (ISSN 0094-8276), vol. 21, no. 14, p. 1507-1510

Physics

21

Earth Mantle, Geotemperature, Harmonic Analysis, Plumes, Power Spectra, Spherical Harmonics, Taylor Instability, Volcanology, Mathematical Models, Statistical Distributions, Viscosity

Scientific paper

We present a new spherical harmonic expansion of the global hotspot distribution, with the contribution of each hotspot weighted by its buoyancy flux. The resulting power spectrum, normalized to that expected for a random distribution, has statistically significant peaks only at degrees 1 and 2. To explain this, we study a simple model for the origin of mantle plumes in the D(double prime) layer at the base of the mantle: the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of two superposed fluid layers with different viscosities and densities in a spherical shell. The wavelength of the fastest growing instability greatly exceeds the thickness of D(double prime) and increases as the viscosity contrast gamma across this layer increases. These results are consistent with the hotspot spectrum if gamma approximately 10(exp 6).

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