Combined Laboratory and Numerical Modeling of the Dynamics of Mid-Ocean Ridges

本研究是运用实验室和数值流体动力学实验对洋中脊下对流模式进行理论和物理结合的研究。罗德岛大学（University of Rhode Island）的实验室研究将使用一种仪器，该仪器使用聚酯薄膜来模拟表面板块的运动。浮力将通过沿罐顶的冷却和注入不同成分密度的流体或沿罐底的局部加热来提供。数值实验将模拟三维热对流和成分对流，包括恒定和变黏度、板块驱动和浮力流动，(2)热对流和成分对流中纵向对流卷的形成和演化，(3)分段对对流的影响，(4)深部地幔源对浮力的作用。

This study is a combined theoretical and physical study of the style of convection beneath mid-ocean ridges using laboratory and numerical fluid dynamics experiments. Laboratory studies at the University of Rhode Island will involve an apparatus that uses mylar sheets to model the motion of surface plates. Buoyancy will be provided by cooling along the top of the tank and either the injection of fluids with different compositional densities or localized heating along the base of the tank. Numerical experiments will simulate 3-D thermal and compositional convection, with constant and variable viscosity, plate driven and buoyant flow, (2) the formation and evolution of longitudinal convection rolls in thermal and compositional convection, (3) the effect of segmentation on convection, and (4) the role of deep mantle sources of buoyancy.