Application of Markov Chain Monte Carlo Method to Mantle Melting: An Example from REE Abundances in Abyssal Peridotites

Abstract:

Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation is a powerful statistical method in solving inverse problems that arise from a wide range of applications, such as nuclear physics, computational biology, financial engineering, among others. In Earth sciences applications of MCMC are primarily in the field of geophysics [1]. The purpose of this study is to introduce MCMC to geochemical inverse problems related to trace element fractionation during concurrent melting, melt transport and melt-rock reaction in the mantle. MCMC method has several advantages over linearized least squares methods in inverting trace element patterns in basalts and mantle rocks. First, MCMC can handle equations that have no explicit analytical solutions which are required by linearized least squares methods for gradient calculation. Second, MCMC converges to global minimum while linearized least squares methods may be stuck at a local minimum or converge slowly due to nonlinearity. Furthermore, MCMC can provide insight into uncertainties of model parameters with non-normal trade-off.

We use MCMC to invert for extent of melting, amount of trapped melt, and extent of chemical disequilibrium between the melt and residual solid from REE data in abyssal peridotites from Central Indian Ridge and Mid-Atlantic Ridge. In the first step, we conduct forward calculation of REE evolution with melting models in a reasonable model space. We then build up a chain of melting models according to Metropolis-Hastings algorithm to represent the probability of specific model. We show that chemical disequilibrium is likely to play an important role in fractionating LREE in residual peridotites. In the future, MCMC will be applied to more realistic but also more complicated melting models in which partition coefficients, diffusion coefficients, as well as melting and melt suction rates vary as functions of temperature, pressure and mineral compositions.

[1]. Sambridge & Mosegarrd [2002] Rev. Geophys.