Impact of melt loss on crustal heat production and Earth geodynamics

该项目计划开发一套热力学工具，用于计算独居石中稀土元素、钍和铀的含量，并将独居石的生长和放射成因热收支与岩石演化联系起来。钍（Th）和铀（U）产生了地球大陆地壳中83%的热量。来自地壳深部的大量高热岩石，与地壳中钍和铀贫化的观点相悖。地壳深部产生大量热量的原因尚不清楚。该项目将开发一套工具，用于计算矿物（如独居石、锆石）和硅酸盐熔体中Th和U浓度随深度、温度和岩石成分的变化。这套工具对地球科学界更好地了解基本地球动力学过程将大有裨益。

This project plans to develop a thermodynamic tool set to calculate the amounts of rare earth elements, thorium and uranium in monazite and link its growth and radiogenic heat budget to rock evolution. Thorium (Th) and uranium (U) produce 83 per cent of the heat in Earth’s continental crust. Vast tracts of high-heat-producing rock from hot, deep parts of the crust defy the notion that such crust is depleted in Th and U. The causes of high heat production in the deep crust remain unclear. This project will develop a tool set to calculate the Th and U concentration in minerals (eg monazite, zircon) and silicate melt as a function of depth, temperature and rock composition. This tool set would be of great benefit to the geoscience community for better understanding fundamental geodynamic processes.