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ABSTRACT An episode of extensive melting early in Earth's history has been postulated on several grounds, but is still controversial1–9. To investigate the effects of such a 'magma
ocean', we have melted a mantle peridotite at conditions equivalent to those obtaining at the top of the lower mantle (25 GPa, 2,000–3,000 °C). As predicted10,11, MgSiO3-rich
perovskite is the liquidus phase. A small amount of CaSiO3-rich perovskite12 was observed, and may be the second liquidus phase. Using the Mg/Si, Al/Si, Ca/Si and Ca/Al ratios as
constraints, we show that primitive upper-mantle compositions1,13–15 can be derived from a chondritic source with a small degree of MgSiO3-perovskite fractionation (10–20 wt %). Access
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SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS GENESIS OF HAWAIIAN LAVAS BY CRYSTALLIZATION OF PICRITIC MAGMA IN THE DEEP MANTLE Article Open access 13 March 2023 QUARTZ-BEARING RHYOLITIC MELTS IN
THE EARTH’S MANTLE Article Open access 15 December 2022 CALCIUM DISSOLUTION IN BRIDGMANITE IN THE EARTH’S DEEP MANTLE Article 19 October 2022 REFERENCES * 1. Ringwood, A. E. Origin of the
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Sci. U.S.A. 77, 6973–6977 (1980). Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Institute for Study of the Earth's Interior, Okayama University, Misasa, Tottori-ken,
682-02, Japan Eiji Ito & Eiichi Takahashi Authors * Eiji Ito View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Eiichi Takahashi View author
publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Ito, E., Takahashi, E. Melting
of peridotite at uppermost lower-mantle conditions. _Nature_ 328, 514–517 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/328514a0 Download citation * Received: 03 March 1987 * Accepted: 22 May 1987 * Issue
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