Viscoelastic mantle density heterogeneity and core-mantle topography

Starting with the model of mantle density heterogeneity derived by Ricard et al. (1993), which uses plate-motion reconstructions under the assumption that subducted slabs sink vertically into the mantle, we model the temporal evolution of these internal loads. We investigate the viscoelastic deformation of the Earth due to this time-dependent excitation source using a Love-number formalism for a linear viscoelastic mantle with a Maxwell model of theology. We are especially interested in the deep-Earth viscoelastic deformation, such as the radial displacement that appears at the core-mantle boundary, and we compare the calculated topography with that proposed by seismologists.