Mingming Li
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Phone: 480-965-1733
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Mail code: 6004Campus: Tempe
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Mingming Li is an assistant professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration. He is a geodynamicist who uses numerical simulations to investigate the structure, dynamics and evolution of the Earth and other planets. He is particularly interested in understanding the surface expressions of deep mantle dynamics and how the Earth and other solar and extrasolar planets evolve differently.
- Ph.D. Geodynamics, Arizona State University 2015
- M.S. Seismology, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences 2010
- B.S. Geophysics, Yunnan University 2007
I use the tool of numerical modeling, in collaboration with seismologists, geochemists, petrologists and mineral physicists to investigate the nature of mantle convection, and its links to surface observations. I am also interested in understanding how other solar and extrasolar planets evolve differently than the Earth. Below is an artistic image made by myself, showing a geodynamist's fantacy about Earth's interior. I also enjoy developing methods and writting codes to apply to important, unexplored science questions.
I am always looking for enthusiastic students and postdocs! Please feel free to send me email for opportunities.
Yuan, Q., Li, M., 2022. Instability of the African large low-shear-wave-velocity province due to its low intrinsic density. Nature Geosci., doi:10.1038/s41561-022-00908-3.
Li, M., McNamara, A.K., 2022. Evolving morphology of crustal accumulations in Earth's lowermost mantle. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 577, 117265.
Pachhai, S., Li, M., Thorne, M.S., Dettmer, J., Tkalčić, H., 2021. Internal structure of ultralow-velocity zones consistent with origin from a basal magma ocean. Nature Geosci. 15, 79-84.
Chandler, B.C., Chen, L.-W., Li, M., Romanowicz, B., & Wenk, H.-R. (2021). Seismic anisotropy, dominant slip systems and phase transitions in the lowermost mantle. Geophy. J. Int., 227, 1665-1681.
Wang, W., Liu, J., Zhu, F., Li, M., Dorfman, S., M., Li, J., & Wu, Z. (2021). Formation of large low shear velocity provinces through the decomposition of oxidized mantle. Nature Communications, 12, 1911.
Wang, Y., & Li, M. (2021). The interaction between mantle plumes and lithosphere and its surface expressions: 3-D numerical modelling. Geophy. J. Int., 225, 906-925.
Li, M. (2021), The cycling of subducted oceanic crust in the Earth’s deep mantle, Book Chapter in “Mantle Convection and Surface Expressions”, Geophysical Monograph Series, page: 303-328.
Wang, Y. & Li, M. (2020), Constraining mantle viscosity structure from a statistical analysis of slab stagnation events, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 21, e2020GC009286.
Li, M. (2020), The Formation of Hot Thermal Anomalies in Cold Subduction‐Influenced Regions of Earth's Lowermost Mantle, J. Geophys. Res., 125(6), e2019JB019312.
Li, M., & Zhong, S. (2019), Lateral Motion of Mantle Plumes in 3D Geodynamic Models, Geophys. Res. Lett., 46(9).
Wang, Y., Pavlis, G. L. & Li, M., 2019, Heterogeneous distribution of water in the mantle transition zone inferred from wavefield imaging. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 505, 42-50.
Li, M., Zhong, S. J. & Olson, P., 2018, Linking lowermost mantle structure, core-mantle boundary heat flux and mantle plume formation. Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 277, 10-29.
Li, M. & McNamara, A. K., 2018, The influence of deep mantle compositional heterogeneity on Earth's thermal evolution. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 500, 86-96.
Chandler, B. C., Yuan, K., Li, M., Cottaar, S., Romanowicz, B., Tomé, C. N. & Wenk, H. R. A, 2018, Refined Approach to Model Anisotropy in the Lowermost Mantle. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 375, 012002.
Li, M., and S. Zhong (2017), The source location of mantle plumes from 3D spherical models of mantle convection, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 478, 47-57.
Li, M., McNamara, A.K., Garnero, E.J., Yu, S., 2017. Compositionally-distinct ultra-low velocity zones on Earth’s core-mantle boundary. Nature Communications 8, 177.
Frost, D.A., Rost, S., Garnero, E.J., and Li, M. Seismic evidence for Earth’s crusty deep mantle, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 470, 54-63.
Zhao, C. P., E. J. Garnero, M. Li, A. McNamara, and S. L. Yu (2017), Intermittent and lateral varying ULVZ structure at the northeastern margin of the Pacific LLSVP, Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth, 122(2), 1198-1220.
Li, M., Black, B., Zhong, S., Manga, M., Rudolph, M.L. and Olson, P., 2016. Quantifying melt production and degassing rate at mid-ocean ridges from global mantle convection models with plate motion history. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 17: 2884-2904.
Gu, T., Li, M., McCammon, C. and Lee, K.K.M., 2016. Redox-induced lower mantle density contrast and effect on mantle structure and primitive oxygen. Nature Geoscience, 9: 723-727.
Zhang, Z., Dorfman, S.M., Labidi, J., Zhang, S., Li, M., Manga, M., Stixrude, L., McDonough, W.F. and Williams, Q., 2016. Primordial metallic melt in the deep mantle. Geophysical Research Letters, 43(8): 3693-3699.
Li, M., 2015, Thermochemical Structure and Dynamics of Earth's Lowermost Mantle, PhD dissertation.
Williams, C.D., Li, M., McNamara, A.K., Garnero, E.J. and van Soest, M.C., 2015. Episodic entrainment of deep primordial mantle material into ocean island basalts. Nature Communnications, 6: 8937.
Li, M., McNamara, A.K. and Garnero, E.J., 2014. Chemical complexity of hotspots caused by cycling oceanic crust through mantle reservoirs. Nature Geoscience, 7(5): 366-370.
Cottaar, S., Li, M., McNamara, A.K., Romanowicz, B. and Wenk, H.-R., 2014. Synthetic seismic anisotropy models within a slab impinging on the core–mantle boundary. Geophysical Journal International, 199(1): 164-177.
Li, M. and McNamara, A.K., 2013. The difficulty for subducted oceanic crust to accumulate at the Earth's core-mantle boundary. J. Geophys. Res., 118(4): 1807-1816.
Li, M. and He, Y.M., 2011. Lithospheric structure beneath northeastern boundary region of the North China Craton from Rayleigh wave dispersion inversion. Acta Seismologica Sinica, 33(2): 143-155.
New paper published in Nature Geoscience.
Courses
2025 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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GLG 101 | Intro to Geology I (Physical) |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
2024 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
2024 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 692 | Research |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
2024 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 494 | Special Topics |
SES 598 | Special Topics |
2023 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
GLG 418 | Geophysics |
GLG 598 | Special Topics |
2023 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 692 | Research |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
2023 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
2022 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
GLG 418 | Geophysics |
GLG 598 | Special Topics |
2022 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 692 | Research |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
2022 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 494 | Special Topics |
SES 598 | Special Topics |
SES 593 | Applied Project |
2021 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
GLG 418 | Geophysics |
GLG 598 | Special Topics |
2021 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 692 | Research |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
2021 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
GLG 490 | Topics in Geology |
GLG 598 | Special Topics |
2020 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 494 | Special Topics |
SES 598 | Special Topics |
2020 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 692 | Research |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 799 | Dissertation |
2020 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
SES 799 | Dissertation |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
GLG 419 | Geodynamics |
GLG 598 | Special Topics |
2019 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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GLG 101 | Intro to Geology I (Physical) |
SES 692 | Research |
SES 792 | Research |
2017 fall: The Dynamic Planets
Associate Editor for Geophysical Research Letters