United KingdomScientists have discovered that the 660-km seismic discontinuity, which separates Earth's mantle transition zone from the lower mantle, is influenced by the presence of majorite garnet. Previous theories suggested that the boundary was formed solely by the breakdown of ringwoodite into bridgmanite and ferropericlase, but this failed to explain complex seismic data. New experiments conducted by researchers from Okayama University and Gakushuin University show that the post-spinel transition involves a coupled reaction between garnet and other minerals. This finding suggests that garnet plays a crucial role in shaping the boundary, affecting its depth and roughness. The results, published in Nature Communications, provide a more consistent model for understanding mantle dynamics and seismic observations.
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