HR: 0800h
AN: P41A-0207    [Abstracts]
TI: The Effects of Volatile Cycyling on Planetary Thermal Evolution
AU: * Sandu, C
EM: csandu@rice.edu
AF: Rice University, Department of Earth Science, Houston, TX 77251, United States
AU: Lenardic, A
EM: ajns@rice.edu
AF: Rice University, Department of Earth Science, Houston, TX 77251, United States
AB: The thermal history of terrestrial planets is investigated using a parameterized model that couples thermal convection and volatile cycling. The model breaks volatile inventory in two reservoirs, surface and interior, and calculates the exchange between them. A volatile-dependent mantle rheology is incorporated. We focus on water at this stage. Water recycling into the mantle is assumed to occur principally through subduction of a hydrated serpentine layer whose thickness is self-determined based on serpentine stability. Degassing occurs through magmatism which is parameterized using a volatile dependent solidus. We present preliminary results that explore model parameter space. We have also coupled a radiative-convective climate model to our mantle-volatile model to explore the feedback effects between changing climate conditions, due to mantle degassing, and volatile cycling through the mantle. The model stress state is monitored for all parameter sweeps so as to evaluate the potential of changes in the tectonic mode of a planet (plate tectonics or a single plate mode).
DE: 5225 Early environment of Earth
DE: 5455 Origin and evolution
DE: 6207 Comparative planetology
DE: 6296 Extra-solar planets
DE: 8125 Evolution of the Earth (0325)
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting