Computer Science
Scientific paper
Jan 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001icar..149...79t&link_type=abstract
Icarus, Volume 149, Issue 1, pp. 79-93 (2001).
Computer Science
28
Scientific paper
Io has very high surface heat flow and an abundance of volcanic activity, which are thought to be driven by nonuniform tidal heating in its interior. This nonuniform heat is transported to the base of the lithosphere by very vigorous convection in Io's silicate mantle, the form of which is presumably responsible for the distribution of surface features such as volcanoes and mountains. We here present three-dimensional spherical calculations of mantle convection in Io, in order to ascertain the likely form of this convection and the resulting distribution of heat flow at the surface and core-mantle boundary. Different models of tidal dissipation are considered: the endmember scenarios identified by M. N. Ross and G. Schubert (1985, Icarus 64, 391-400) of dissipation in the entire mantle, or dissipation in a thin (~100-km-thick) asthenosphere, as well as the ``preferred'' distribution of M. N. Ross et al. (1990, Icarus 85, 309-325) comprising 1/3 mantle and 2/3 asthenosphere heating. The thermal structure of Io's mantle and asthenosphere is found to be strongly dependent on tidal heating mode, as well as whether the mantle-asthenosphere boundary is permeable or impermeable. Results indicate a large-scale flow pattern dominated by the distribution of tidal heating, with superimposed small-scale asthenospheric instabilities that become more pronounced with increasing Rayleigh number. These small-scale instabilities spread out the surface heat flux, resulting in smaller heat flux variations with increasing Rayleigh number. Scaled to Io's Rayleigh number of O(1012), variations of order a few percent are expected. This small but significant variation in surface heat flux may be compatible with the observed distributions of volcanic centers and mountains, which appear fairly uniform at first sight but display a discernible distribution when suitably processed. The observed distribution of volcanic centers is similar to the asthenosphere heating distribution, implying that most of the tidal heating in Io occurs in an asthenosphere.
Glatzmaier Gary A.
Matas Jean-Philippe
Ratcliff James Todd
Schenk Paul
Schubert Gerald
No associations
LandOfFree
Three-Dimensional Simulations of Mantle Convection in Io does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Three-Dimensional Simulations of Mantle Convection in Io, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Three-Dimensional Simulations of Mantle Convection in Io will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1363342