On the self-regulating effect of grain size evolution in mantle convection models: application to thermochemical piles

. Seismic studies show two antipodal regions of lower shear velocity at the core–mantle boundary (CMB) called large low-shear-velocity provinces (LLSVPs). They are thought to be thermally and chemically distinct and therefore might have a different density and viscosity than the ambient mantle. Employing a composite rheology, using both diffusion and dislocation creep, we investigate the influence of grain size evolution on the dynamics of...