Nature Communications (Jan 2020)

Velocity and density characteristics of subducted oceanic crust and the origin of lower-mantle heterogeneities

  • Wenzhong Wang,
  • Yinhan Xu,
  • Daoyuan Sun,
  • Sidao Ni,
  • Renata Wentzcovitch,
  • Zhongqing Wu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13720-2
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Seismology is a powerful tool to investigate Earth’s interior. Here, the authors combine numerical approaches with experimental results from previous studies to show a depth dependent behaviour of seismic waves in subducted oceanic crust in Earth’s mantle. The work challenges the currently accepted model of depth-independent seismic wave behaviour in oceanic crust.