Testing Mineralogical Models of the Mantle Transition Zone Using Seismic Data

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Mantle composition plays an essential role in understandingevolution, mantle dynamics and phase transitions of the Earth'smantle. With increasing amounts of experimental data, chemicalinteractions of various phases can be explored between differentsubsystems, and seismic velocity and density profiles can becalculated based on compositional models. The ability toquantitatively calculate seismic profiles based on compositionalmodels makes it possible for compositional models to be directlytested and constrained using seismic data. The investigators willperform a joint modeling of seismic and mineral physics data toconstrain compositional and thermal models in the Earth'stransition zone. The collaborative research also investigatesregional variation of seismic structures, as well as its cause,using seismic data sampling various tectonic regions. The intellectualmerits of the collaborative research include quantitative andintegrative studies of seismic structures, wave propagation,mantle composition and mantle mineralogy in the Earth's transitionzone. This research has broad impacts on training ofa graduate student in both seismology and mineral physics, andproviding seismically-constrained compositional and thermal modelswhich would serve as a basis for a quantitative understanding ofthe effects of mantle mineralogy on the dynamics of the descendingslabs and ascending mantle plumes, and for a quantitative linkbetween seismic velocity perturbations, mantle temperature,and density buoyancy in large-scale geodynamical modeling.