Seminar in Geophysics: Mantle Convection
Mantle convection drives plate tectonics, volcanism, and the slow churn of the planet's interior, yet geophysicists still argue over how it actually works. This MIT OpenCourseWare seminar traces the history of mantle flow models from early convection theories to current debates, weighing evidence from seismology, mineral physics, geochemistry, and geodynamic modeling against each other. Students read primary research papers spanning these different fields and discuss where the data agree and where competing models of mantle structure, layering, and plume behavior clash. The course includes a syllabus, reading assignments, and discussion-based sessions rather than recorded lectures, reflecting its format as an advanced graduate seminar. Materials are available free through MIT OpenCourseWare under a Creative Commons license, with no certificate offered. It suits students who already have a geophysics background and want to see how competing lines of evidence about Earth's interior are actually reconciled, or left unresolved, in current research.