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IUGG XXIV General Assembly July 2-13, 2007 Perugia, Italy<br />

(S) - <strong>IASPEI</strong> - International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's<br />

Interior<br />

JSS011 Oral Presentation 2125<br />

The effect of plate boundary evolution in 3D Cartesian geometry mantle<br />

convection models<br />

Prof. Julian Lowman<br />

Physical and Environmental Science University of Toronto <strong>IASPEI</strong><br />

Andrew D. Gait, Carl W. Gable<br />

Plate boundary locations, and therefore plate dimensions,can change significantly over time periodsthat<br />

are relatively short compared to the mantle overturntime-scale. However, the influence ofplate<br />

geometry evolution on mantle convection has not beenwidely studied in 3D convection models.Here, we<br />

examine the effect ofmobile plate boundaries on the time-dependenceof the mean surface velocity,<br />

thesurface velocity fieldand mantle and core heat flow.We investigate the effect of evolving plate<br />

geometriesin high Rayleigh number,three-dimensional Cartesian mantle convection calculations<br />

featuringmultiple plates with dynamically determined motion.Plate motion is determined by specifying<br />

that each platemove rigidly with a velocity that results in a net shear stress ofzero at the base of the<br />

thick, viscously defined, lithosphere.This condition ensures that the specified plate motion neitherdrives<br />

nor resists the buoyancy driven flow.The time-dependent plate velocities determine the evolution ofthe<br />

plate geometry.Plate boundaries evolve as triple junctions are movedwith a velocity that is equal to the<br />

average of the velocity ofthe three surrounding plates. In a 3x3x1 solution domaingeometry,we<br />

compare the time-dependence of theconvection obtained in cases where plate geometry is able<br />

toevolve, with cases where the geometry remains fixed. Weinvestigate time-dependence in three<br />

distinct viscosity stratification models.We compare the time-dependence of the plate velocities andthe<br />

mantle and core heat flux in these calculations and examinethe consistency of the results in three large<br />

geometry calculations(obtained with 6x6x1 Cartesian geometry solution domains featuring aminimum of<br />

9 plates).We find that an evolving plate geometry results in more rapid andmore dramaticvariations in<br />

all global measures of the vigour of the convection.However, the presence of a high viscosity lower<br />

mantle dampens thetime-dependence of theconvection, even over periods in which the plate geometry<br />

evolvesconsiderably.<br />

Keywords: mantle, convection, plates

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