The Effect of Water on Seismic Wave Speeds of the Martian Mantle.
Abstract
We calculate the distribution of water between mineral phases of the Martian mantle, and the effects of water on the seismic wave speeds along realistic thermal profiles and compositions. We address a range of potential compositions and thermal profiles of the Martian mantle to reflect uncertainty in core heat-flux and mantle composition. We calculate the mantle mineralogy self-consistently along each potential profile and derive water partition coefficients for all phases from a suite of synthesis and mineralogical data to supplement ab initio calculations. Self-consistent water contents for each mineral phase are then calculated along a 1D profile using the derived coefficients and a range of bulk water contents. We present the change in seismic wave speeds due to water storage in the mantle for interpretation of seismic data returned by the NASA InSight Mission, set to land on Mars in November 2018.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFMDI34A..05M
- Keywords:
-
- 1060 Planetary geochemistry;
- GEOCHEMISTRYDE: 5455 Origin and evolution;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLID SURFACE PLANETSDE: 8147 Planetary interiors;
- TECTONOPHYSICSDE: 8450 Planetary volcanism;
- VOLCANOLOGY