Convective regimes in "soft matter": implications for the dynamics of planetary interiors

Physics

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Scientific paper

The morphology and characteristics of convective patterns strongly depends on the mantle physical properties. Using laboratory experiments and quantitative techniques of visualization, we have therefore studied systematically the characteristics of thermal convection in viscous fluids with complex rheologies (strongly temperature-dependent, yield stress, viscoelastic, brittle). We show that strongly temperaturedependent viscosity at high Rayleigh number is sufficient to produce at least three scales of convection in mantle interiors with sheet-like cold downwellings encasing several 3D hot plumes. But it is the soft matter character of silicate materials (elastic and/or brittle on short time scales, viscous on long time scales), which is essential in producing asymmetric subduction, episodic whole surface rejuvenation, and/or Plate Tectonics. Moreover, the experiments reveal that as a planet cools, it can undergoes a succession of different regimes. Scenarios for the evolutions of Venus, Mars and the Earth can then be proposed.

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