Upper mantle low-velocity layer tied to volatile-charged carbonate melts.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41739920.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.aec1018 and PMC identifier 12935037.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC.
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Abstract
Recent geophysical observations indicate the presence of small-volume, carbonate-rich melts in Earth's deep interior. However, the mechanisms by which such minute melt fractions migrate through largely solid rocks and generate large-scale geophysical anomalies have remained unclear. Here, our high-pressure experiments demonstrate that, in the presence of H<sub>2</sub>O and NaCl, carbonate-rich melts act as super-spreaders, completely wetting and coating the surfaces of surrounding mantle minerals. This perfect wetting enables even trace amounts of melt (0.02 to 0.08 vol%) to form fully interconnected networks. Such connectivity facilitates efficient melt migration and chemical exchange, driving global material recycling between the surface and planetary interior.