Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review Article
  • Published:

Water in the Earth's upper mantle

Abstract

Experiments on the stability of hydrous minerals likely to be present in the Earth's mantle provide constraints on the distribution of water in the mantle, and the form in which it is stored. In regions of elevated mantle temperature, water may be stored not in minerals but in melts: such hydrous melts are important metasomatizing agents, and can induce volcanism beneath thick cratonic lithosphere.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Burnham, C. W. in Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits, 2nd Edn (ed. Barnes, H. L.) 71–136 (Wiley, New York, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ringwood, A. E. in Advances in Earth Sciences (ed. Hurley, P. M.) 287–356 (M.I.T. Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Dreibus, G. & Wanke, H. in Origin and Evolution of Planetary and Satellite Atmospheres (eds. Atreya, S. K., Pollack, J. B. & Matthews, M. S.) 268–288 (Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Rubey, W. W. in Crust of the Earth (ed. Poldervaart, A.) 631–650 (The Geological Society of America, New York, 1955).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Ringwood, A. E. Composition and Petrology of the Earth's Mantle 1–618 (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Schopf, T. J. M. Paleoceanography 1–341 (Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Valley, J. W., Taylor, H. P. & O'Neil, M. R. Stable isotopes in high temperature geological processes (Miner. Soc. Am. 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Gill, J. Orogenic Andesites and Plate Tectonics (Springer, Heidelberg, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Peacock, S. M. Science 248, 329–337 (1990).

    ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Le Cloarec, M. F. & Marty, B. Terra Nova 3, 17–27 (1991).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gerlach, T. M. EOS 72, 249–255 (1991).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Schreyer, W. Miner. Mag. 52, 1–26 (1988).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Boyd, F. R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 96, 15–26 (1989).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Allègre, C. J., Staudacher, T., Sarda, P. & Kurz, M. Nature 303, 762–766 (1983).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Jeanloz, R. & Thompson, A. B. Rev. Geophys. Space. Phys. 21, 51–74 (1983).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Akaogi, M., Ito, E. & Navrotsky, A. J. geophys. Res. 94, 15 671–15 685 (1989).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. McKenzie, D. P. & Bickle, M. J. J. Petrology 29, 625–679 (1987).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Akimoto, S. & Fujisawa, H. J. geophys. Res. 73, 1467–1479 (1968).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Katsura, T. & Ito, E. J. geophys. Res. 94, 15 663–15 670 (1989).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Ito, E. & Takahashi, E. J. geophys. Res. 94, 10 637–10 646 (1989).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Houston, M. H. & de Bremaecker, J. C. J. geophys. Res. 80, 742–751 (1975).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Jarvis, G. T. & Peltier, W. R. in Mantle Convection-Plate Tectonics and Global Dynamics (ed. Peltier, W. R.) 470–593 (Gordon and Breach, Toronoto, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Christensen, U. in Mantle Convection—Plate Tectonics and Global Dynamics (ed. Peltier, W. R.) 595–655 (Gordon and Breach, Toronto, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Sleep, N. H. J. geophys. Res. 95, 6715–6738 (1990).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Richter, F. M. & McKenzie, D. P. J. geophys. Res. 86, 6133–6142 (1981).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Kushiro, I., Syono, Y. & Akimoto, S. I. J. geophys. Res. 73, 6023–6029 (1968).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Scarfe, C. M. & Takahashi, E. Nature 322, 354–356 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Takahashi, E. J. geophys. Res. 91, 9367–9382 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Ito, E. & Takahashi, E. Nature 328, 514–517 (1987).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Herzberg, C. J. Geophys. Res. 95, 15 779–15 803 (1990).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. Herzberg, C. T. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 67, 249–260 (1983).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. White, R. S. in Oceanic and Continental Lithosphere, J. Petrol. spec. Lithosphere issue (ed. Menzies, M. A. & Cox, K. G.) 1–10 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Jordan, R. H. in Oceanic and Continental Lithosphere. J. Petrol. spec. Lithosphere issue 11–38 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Galer, S. J. G. Earth planet Sci. Lett. 105, 214–228 (1991).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Ito, E., Harris, D. M. & Anderson, A. T. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 47, 1613–1624 (1983).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Tatsumi, Y. J. geophys. Res. 94, 4697–4707 (1989).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Davies, J. H. & Stevenson, D. H. J. geophys. Res. 97, 2037–2070 (1992).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. Peacock, S. M. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A335, 341–353 (1991).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. Green, D. H. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 19, 37–53 (1973).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Wyllie, P. J. in Magmatic Processes: Physiochemical Principles, Geochem. Soc. spec. publ. 1 (ed. Mysen, B. O.) 107–119 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  41. Liu, L. Phys. Earth planet. Inter. 49, 142–167 (1987).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Kanzaki, M. Phys. Earth planet. Inter. 66, 307–319 (1991).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. Ito, E. & Weidner, D. Geophys. Res. Lett. 13, 464–466 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Eggler, D. H. Carnegie Inst. Washington Yb. 72, 464–467 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  45. Hodges, F. N. Carnegie Inst. Washington Yb. 72, 495–497 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  46. Kato, T. & Kumazawa, M. J. geophys. Res. 91, 9351–9355 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Stolper, E., Walker, D., Hager, B. H. & Hays, J. F. J. geophys. Res. 86, 6261–6271 (1981).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Yamamoto, K. & Akimoto, S. Am. J. Sci. 277, 288–312 (1977).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Liu, L. G. Tectonophys. 164, 41–48 (1989).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Tera, F. et al. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 50, 1535–1550 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  51. Kesson, S. E. & Ringwood, A. E. Chem. Geol. 78, 83–96 (1989).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Akimoto, S. & Akaogi, M. Phys. Earth planet. Int. 23, 268–275 (1980).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Ringwood, A. E. & Major, A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 2, 130–133 (1967).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Ahrens, T. J. Nature 342, 122–123 (1989).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  55. Liu, L. Phys. Earth planet. Int. 42, 255–262 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Luth, R. W. EOS 72, 199 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  57. Gasparik, T. J. geophys. Res. 95, 15 751–15 769 (1990).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  58. Meade, C. & Jeanloz, R. Nature 251, 68–72 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  59. Kushiro, I., Syono, Y. & Akimoto, S. I. Earth planet Sci. Lett. 3, 197–203 (1967).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Sudo, A. & Tatsumi, Y. Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 29–32 (1990).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Heubner, J. S. & Papike, J. J. Am. Miner. 55, 1973–1992 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  62. Trønnes, R. G., Takahashi, E. & Scarfe, C. M. EOS 69, 1510 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  63. Trønnes, R. G. EOS 71, 1587 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  64. Modreski, P. T. & Boettcher, A. L. Am. J. Sci. 273, 385–414 (1973).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Foley, S. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 55, 2689–2694 (1991).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Hart, R., Dymond, J. & Hogan, L. Nature 278, 156–159 (1979).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. O'Nions, R. K. & Oxburgh, E. R. Nature 306, 429–431 (1983).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Jochum, K. P., Hofmann, A. W., Ito, E., Seufert, H. M. & White, W. M. Nature 306, 431–436 (1983).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Navon, O., Hutcheon, I. D., Rossman, G. R. & Wasserburg, G. J. Nature 335, 784–789 (1988).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Menzies, M. A. Nature 335, 769–770 (1988).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  71. Bailey, D. K. Nature 296, 525–530 (1982).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Harlow, G. E. & Veblen, D. R. Science 251, 652–655 (1991).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Bell, D. R. & Rossman, G. R. Science 255, 1391–1396 (1992)

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Smyth, J. R., Bell, D. R. & Rossman, G. R. Nature 351, 732–735 (1991).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Young, T. E., Green, H. W., Hofmeister, A. M. & Walker, D. EOS 72, 144 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  76. Clemens, J. D. & Vielzeuf, D. Earth planet Sci. Lett. 86, 287–306 (1987).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Ryabchikov, I. D. & Boettcher, A. L. Am. Miner. 65, 915–919 (1980).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Schneider, M. E. & Eggler, D. H. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 50, 711–724 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Massone, H. J. & Schreyer, W. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 96, 212–224 (1987).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  80. Ringwood, A. E. Chem. Geol. 82, 187–207 (1990).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Finger, L. W. & Prewitt, C. T. Geophys. Res. Lett. 16, 1395–1397 (1989).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Finger, L. W., Hazen, R. M. & Prewitt, C. T. Am. Miner. 76, 1–7 (1991).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  83. Kudoh, Y., Finger, L. W., Hazen, R. M., Prewitt, C. T. & Kanzaki, M. Carnegie Inst. Washington Yb. 89, 89–91 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  84. Robie, R. A., Hemingway, B. & Fisher, J. R. U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 1452, (1978).

  85. Helgeson, H. C., Delaney, J. M., Nesbitt, N. W. & Bird, D. K. Am. J. Sci. 278-A (1978).

  86. Anderson, D. L. Theory of the Earth (Blackweil, Boston, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thompson, A. Water in the Earth's upper mantle. Nature 358, 295–302 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/358295a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/358295a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing