RUNNING HEAD: ZONES WITH LOW SEISMIC VELOCITY AT EARTHS MANTLE 1

Continent-sized anomalous zones with low seismic velocity at the base of Earth's mantle

Hahnbee Lee

September 14, 2017

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Abstract

In a research study conducted by the School of Earth and Space Exploration in Arizona

State University, it was discovered that at the base of the Earths mantle and above its core

anomalous zones existed where seismic waves continuously traveled slowly. These zones have

long been depicted as warmer-than-average mantle materials related to convective upwelling.

Yet, they may also be chemically distinct from the surrounding mantle, and potentially partly

composed of subducted or primordial material, and have therefore been termed thermochemical

piles. Upwelling mantle plumes may originate from the thermochemical piles, so the unusual

chemical composition of the piles could be the source of distinct trace-element signatures

observed in hotspot lavas. The discovery of these areas may be a cause and source for some of

the earthquakes we experience which leads us to a solid piece of scientific evidence in the field

of seismology.

The movement of Earths tectonic plates, which includes divergence, convergence and

consumption of older plates into Earths interior at subduction zones, is related to convective

motions of the underlying mantle rock over geologic timescales. The mantle actively convects

heat because of the Earths cores heat from below, and from radioactive decay of uranium,

thorium and potassium. This transport of heat involves advection and stirs the mantle. Like

stated, this stirring and movement happens at geological timescales and is hard to observe,

however, this group of researchers found that large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs)

existed. These provinces are heterogeneous properties, however, small change in these areas

cause a broadened pulse or even two distinct pulses which may be the source of earthquakes and

mantel movement.
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Materials & Methods

Different pictures of the Earths mantle were taken with different kinds of detection

system. The graphs consisted of comparing the supposed area of the LSSVPs and volcanism,

lateral gradients, and seismic wave speeds. Different recordings from different scientists were

also compiled to study the heterogeneity which proves to exist because of the small scaled

movement in a general large sized area. Seismic wave speed anisotropy has also been

documented which proves that the LLSVPs are sources of earthquakes and movement of the

upper layer of Earth.

And thus through studying these relationships between the area of LLSVPs and

previously dated features of the Earths surface it can be concluded how the Earths surface is the

way it is today.

Figure 1 pictures taken of the LLSVP areas.

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Analysis

The trend in data exposed itself to being that there was a lot of activity in these LLSVP

areas due to their heterogeneity. The heterogeneity causes sharp sides of the LLSVPs (figure 2).

These sharp sides along with the heat, tension, and movement caused the buildup of LLSVPs.

This movement then causes plumes to be convected out from the inside of the mantel. Many

different types of plumes come out also, such as domes of super plums, normal plumes, a pile of

stable lava, and a metastable pile (figure 3)

This information can also be further studied to describe how the earth couldve been

created in its premature years (figure 4). These thermoelectric piles couldve continuously built

up and cooled down to cause the creation of the Earths current surface. The convection and

radiation from the core of the Earth causes the mantle to heat up and technically vibrate in

order for more of the surface of the Earth to arise. And then after years and years of repeating

this process, a large enough amount of the lava was cooled down onto the surface causing the

convection to decrease in severity and intensity, which is the state the earth is at today.

Figure 2 Heterogeneity and sharp sides of the LLSVP being

created
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Figure 3 The LLSVPs cause superplumes and lava from the

core to arise to the surface of the earth

Figure 4 Explanation of the earths evolution of its

primordial and growing layers
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References

Garnero, E.J., Mcnamara, A.K., & Shim. S. (2016). Continent-sized anomalous zones with low

seismic velocity at the base of Earths mantle. Nature Geoscience, 9(7), 481-489.

Doi:10.1038/ngeo2733