Foreword -- Yanick RICARD -- Chapter 1. Models of Mantle Dynamics 1 Gaël CHOBLET -- 1.1. Toward the first models of the Earth's mantle -- 1.1.1. Prior to the models -- 1.1.2. Continental drift, thermal convection and plate tectonics -- 1.2. The physical model: thermal convection -- 1.2.1. Conservation laws: mass, momentum, energy -- 1.2.2. Constitutive relationships: Fourier, rheology and equation of state -- 1.2.3. Boundary and initial conditions -- 1.2.4. Dimensioning, dimensional analysis and dimensionless numbers -- 1.2.5. From linear stability analysis to turbulent convection -- 1.3. "Solving" partial differential equations -- 1.3.1. Spectral methods -- 1.3.2. Finite-difference or finite-volume methods -- 1.3.3. Finite element methods -- 1.3.4. Various aspects of contemporary methods -- 1.4. From a reductionist to a holistic approach -- 1.4.1. Mixed heating -- 1.4.2. Sphericity -- 1.4.3. Rheology -- 1.4.4. Composition -- 1.4.5. Several phases -- 1.5. Conclusion -- 1.6. References -- Chapter 2. How the Earth's Core and Mantle are Separated: Geochemical and Dynamic Constraints 41 Julien MONTEUX and Maud BOYET -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. How the Earth's core and mantle are separated: geochemical clues -- 2.2.1. Internal composition model of the Earth and telluric planets -- 2.2.2. Chemical elements and their properties -- 2.2.3. Meteorites: Building blocks of the Earth -- 2.2.4. Constraints using moderately siderophile elements -- 2.2.5. Excessive concentration of HSE -- 2.3. Iron/silicate separation in a magma ocean -- 2.3.1. Fragmentation on impact -- 2.3.2. Fragmentation in the magma ocean -- 2.3.3. Thermochemical evolution of iron droplets -- 2.4. Iron/silicate separation by giant diapirism -- 2.5. Giant impact core assemblies -- 2.6. Conclusion and outlook for magnetic fields -- 2.7. References -- Chapter 3. Dynamics and Thermal Evolution of the Earth's Early Mantle 75 Julien MONTEUX and Denis ANDRAULT -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Primitive energy sources -- 3.2.1. Short-lived radioactive elements -- 3.2.2. Impact heating -- 3.2.3. Viscous dissipation related to core formation -- 3.2.4. Giant impacts and the Moon's formation -- 3.3. Melting curves in the deep mantle -- 3.3.1. Mantle solidus profile: the temperature at which the first magmas formed -- 3.3.2. Melting curves for other silicates in the Earth's mantle -- 3.3.3. Eutectic mantle melting diagram: example of the core/mantle boundary -- 3.3.4. Temperature constraints at the core/mantle boundary -- 3.4. The mantle during the magma ocean stage -- 3.4.1. A vigorous convection system -- 3.4.2. Magma ocean modeling -- 3.4.3. Adiabatic profiles -- 3.4.4. Cooling dynamics -- 3.5. From magma oceans to present-day mantle dynamics -- 3.5.1. Melt fraction rates and viscosity models -- 3.5.2. Cooling dynamics -- 3.5.3. Magma ocean-solid mantle coupling -- 3.5.4. Geochemical consequences -- 3.6. External influences -- 3.6.1. Relationship between the primitive mantle and the core -- 3.6.2. Influence of the primitive atmosphere -- 3.6.3. The Moon's influence -- 3.7. Conclusion -- 3.8. References -- Chapter 4. Hotspots, Large Igneous Provinces and Global Mantle Dynamics 115 Cinzia G. FARNETANI -- 4.1. Introduction -- 4.2. Active hotspots today -- 4.3. Geochemistry of hotspot lavas: long-lived and short-lived isotope systems, what do they tell us? -- 4.4. Seismic imaging below hotspots: To which extent do LLSVPs and ULVZs "feed" mantle plumes? -- 4.5. Plumes in the convecting mantle -- 4.6. Large igneous provinces -- 4.6.1. Phanerozoic continental flood basalts -- 4.6.2. Phanerozoic oceanic plateaus -- 4.6.3. Older LIPs and radiating dyke swarms -- 4.7. Environmental effects of Phanerozoic large igneous provinces -- 4.7.1. Factors triggering global warming and global cooling -- 4.7.2. Oceanic anoxia events: ocean acidification -- 4.7.3. Ozone depletion from halogen emissions: release of toxic metals -- 4.8. Concluding remarks -- 4.9. References -- Chapter 5. Heat Flow and Secular Cooling of the Mantle 155 Stéphane LABROSSE -- 5.1. Introduction -- 5.2. Geophysics of the seafloor and the oceanic heat flow -- 5.2.1. Infinite half-space model -- 5.2.2. Observations: seafloor age and heat flow -- 5.2.3. Seafloor depth -- 5.2.4. Total oceanic heat loss -- 5.2.5. Link to mantle dynamics -- 5.3. Continental heat flow -- 5.4. Heat sources and secular evolution -- 5.5. Conclusion -- 5.6. References -- Chapter 6. Noble Gases: Geochemical Tracers of Mantle Dynamics 187 Manuel Alexis MOREIRA -- 6.1. Introduction -- 6.2. Noble gases in the mantle -- 6.2.1. General information on noble gases -- 6.2.2. Noble gas analysis -- 6.3. The evolution of the mantle-atmosphere system -- 6.3.1. Outflows: mantle degassing -- 6.4. Past and present dynamics of the Earth's mantle -- 6.4.1. A homogeneous asthenosphere through convection and/or efficient melting? -- 6.4.2. Noble gas constraints on magma ocean dynamics -- 6.5. Open questions on the origin and evolution of terrestrial noble gases -- 6.5.1. Helium concentration in island basalts -- 6.5.2. The origin of terrestrial neon (and of helium and hydrogen) -- 6.5.3. Missing xenon -- 6.6. References -- List of Authors -- Index.