Influence of realistic rheological properties on the style of mantle convection: roles of dynamic friction and depth-dependence of rheological properties

Abstract

SUMMARY In order to generate plate tectonics, the near surface layer should not be too strong, but the causes for not-so-strong near surface layer remains unclear. We conduct mantle convection modelling in the spherical geometry to investigate the influence of the strength of the near surface layer. We explore a range of friction coefficients including the static high friction coefficient (∼0.6) as well as the reduced friction coefficients by fast fault motion in earthquakes. When the friction coefficient is low enough (<0.03), the surface layer is yielded by the convective stress, and the style of mantle convection appears the mobile-lid mode (plate tectonics style of convection). This style is relevant for the Earth where fault motion is unstable because of the low surface temperature. In contrast, for a high friction coefficient, the surface layer is too strong, generating the stagnant-lid mode. This case corresponds to Venus where fault motion is stable because of high surface temperature. Our calculations show that, in plate tectonic style of convection, the mantle convection is likely to be more vigorous, inducing the high convective stress that helps the operation of plate tectonics. In contrast, when stagnant-lid mode of convection appears, the convective vigor is likely to be low, inducing the low convective stress. Therefore, in each case, the interplay between the surface strength and convective stress tends to maintain the same mode of convection in a self-consistent way. We also investigate the relationship between mantle temperature and heat flux for two different modes of convection upon a change in friction coefficient. We found that the heat flow associated with mobile lid convection caused by low friction is less sensitive to the mantle temperature compared to a conventional mantle convection model, where the heat flow is highly sensitive to mantle temperature. This provides a possible mechanism to solve the thermal runaway paradox.