| Large scale flow and heat transport in planetary mantles govern the planetary evolution on time scales comparable with the age of the planets. Numerical modelling has become increasingly important in the investigation of the complex behavior of these inaccessible systems. First order processes near the Earth?s surface such as sea-floor spreading and subduction are coupled to mantle flow processes on a much larger scale. Aim: To improve our understanding of man of mantle dynamics through investigations of the effects of physical model parameters on mantle dynamics and planetary evolution. Methods: Numerical modelling of heat and mass transport in convecting viscous fluids, using rheological models based on recent laboratory experiments on candidate mantle minerals. Present Topics: Investigation of the role of temperature and pressure dependent composite rheology, involving both Newtonian diffusion creep and non-Newtonian dislocation creep, on secular cooling of planetary mantles, using the temperature at the Core- Mantle boundary as a control variable. |
