[Special DLS] Laura Lark (Brown)

Planetary thermochemical evolution is the thread of self-consistency that connects geological observations to physical and chemical processes through space and time. However, there is now ample evidence that the classic view of rocky planets as comprised of homogenous, single-phase, incompressible layers (crust + mantle + outer core + inner core) is inadequate. In particular, long-lived mantle heterogeneity (in chemical makeup or physical properties) is an under-explored but potentially dominant control on the evolution of the terrestrial planetary bodies. I will present an exploration of the existence, persistence, and consequences of density-stabilized compositional heterogeneity in planetary mantles.