A coupled computational scheme on thermal and phase structures of subducting slabs

The thermodynamic processes undergone by olivine, the chief mineral of subd ucting slabs, are important in studying the mechanisms of deep-focus earthq uakes and the interaction between slabs and the surrounding mantle. We prop ose a modified coupling scheme to calculate the thermal and phase structure s of slabs, which presents a high computational accuracy at an accessible C PU expense. Using the new code of computation, we have calculated the therm al and phase structures of the Kurile subduction zone.