scholarly journals Constraints on Earth’s inner core composition inferred from measurements of the sound velocity of hcp-iron in extreme conditions

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. e1500802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuya Sakamaki ◽  
Eiji Ohtani ◽  
Hiroshi Fukui ◽  
Seiji Kamada ◽  
Suguru Takahashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sound Velocity ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Earth Model ◽  
Light Elements ◽  
Earth’S Core ◽  
Heated Sample ◽  
Earth's Core ◽  
The Core ◽  
Core Composition ◽  
Earth’S Inner Core

Hexagonal close-packed iron (hcp-Fe) is a main component of Earth’s inner core. The difference in density between hcp-Fe and the inner core in the Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM) shows a density deficit, which implies an existence of light elements in the core. Sound velocities then provide an important constraint on the amount and kind of light elements in the core. Although seismological observations provide density–sound velocity data of Earth’s core, there are few measurements in controlled laboratory conditions for comparison. We report the compressional sound velocity (VP) of hcp-Fe up to 163 GPa and 3000 K using inelastic x-ray scattering from a laser-heated sample in a diamond anvil cell. We propose a new high-temperature Birch’s law for hcp-Fe, which gives us the VP of pure hcp-Fe up to core conditions. We find that Earth’s inner core has a 4 to 5% smaller density and a 4 to 10% smaller VP than hcp-Fe. Our results demonstrate that components other than Fe in Earth’s core are required to explain Earth’s core density and velocity deficits compared to hcp-Fe. Assuming that the temperature effects on iron alloys are the same as those on hcp-Fe, we narrow down light elements in the inner core in terms of the velocity deficit. Hydrogen is a good candidate; thus, Earth’s core may be a hidden hydrogen reservoir. Silicon and sulfur are also possible candidates and could show good agreement with PREM if we consider the presence of some melt in the inner core, anelasticity, and/or a premelting effect.

scholarly journals Wave velocities in the earth's core

1958 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-314
Author(s):  
B. Gutenberg
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Travel Times ◽  
Earth’S Core ◽  
Earth's Core ◽  
The Core ◽  
Wave Velocities

Abstract More than 700 seismograms of 39 shocks recorded mainly in southern California at epicentral distances between 105 and 140 degrees are used to investigate records of phases which have penetrated the earth's core. Properties of PKIKP, SKP, SKIKP, PKS, and PKIKS are discussed. Portions of travel-time curves of these phases are revised. Travel times of waves starting and ending at the surface of the core, and wave velocities in the core, are recalculated. Between about 1,500 and 1,200 km. from the earth's center in the transition zone from the liquid outer to the probably solid inner core, waves having lengths of the order of 10 km. travel faster than longer waves. This is probably caused by a rather rapid increase in viscosity toward the earth's center in this transition zone.

scholarly journals Self-diffusion coefficient and sound velocity of Fe-Ni-O fluid: implications for the stratification of Earth’s outer core

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Jie Li ◽  
Zi Li ◽  
Chong-Jie Mo ◽  
Xian-Tu He ◽  
Cong Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Coefficient ◽  
Sound Velocity ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
The Self ◽  
Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Earth Model ◽  
Earth’S Core ◽  
Earth's Core ◽  
Self Diffusion ◽  
Self Diffusion Coefficient

Abstract It is experimentally reported that the stratified layer atop Earth’s outer core is hundreds of kilometers thick with a maximum sound velocity reduction of 0.3% relative to the preliminary reference Earth model. However, why the sound velocity atop the outer core is reduced remains theoretically unclear. In this paper, the Ni and vital light O in the outer core were both considered to have implications for the stratification of Earth’s core, including the stratification thickness and the sound velocity profile. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations were performed on the Fe-Ni-O fluid under the conditions of Earth’s outer core, and the self-diffusion coefficients and ion-ion dynamic structure factors were calculated. The self-diffusion coefficient of O is (19.56±0.83)×10-9 m2s-1 at the core-mantle boundary. Combining the diffusion equation with the time evolution of the O self-diffusion coefficient, the calculated stratification thickness at present is 194.7 km. The calculated ion-ion dynamic structural factors indicate that the sound velocity in the outmost outer core near the stratified layer is 7.86 km/s. These results show that Fe-Ni-O is a possible composition of the stratified layer atop the outer core featuring an appropriate thickness and a reduced sound velocity, thereby shedding light on the dynamic behavior of Earth’s core.

The velocity of seismic waves near the earth's center

1964 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-208
Author(s):  
Bruce A. Bolt
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Seismic Waves ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Earth’S Core ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Earth's Core ◽  
The Core ◽  
Earth Models ◽  
Velocity Jump

abstract A double velocity jump in the Earth's core entails a PKP travel-time curve with two lengthy branches extending back from 143°. The later branch is associated with the PKIKP phase. The earlier branch arises from waves, here designated PKHKP, which are refracted through the intermediate shell. Theoretical travel-time curves for PKP and SKS in possible Earth models with tripartite cores are presented. It is shown that the PKHKP branch provides an explanation for precursors to PKIKP observed at epicentral distances between 123° and 140°. Observations of waves predicted by the portion of this branch from 148° to 156° have been also reported. The SKS curve is examined in the light of some 550 SKS observations in the range 85° < Δ < 145°. The study provides evidence that there is in the core a discrete shell with thickness of order 420 kms and with a mean P velocity near 10.31 km/sec. This shell surrounds the inner core having mean radius 1220 kms and mean P velocity 11.22 km/sec, approximately. The material of the intermediate shell is not likely to have marked rigidity. The inner core is likely to be solid; published times for PKJKP waves may be, however, too small by several minutes.

scholarly journals Earth’s Core Is in the Hot Seat

Eos ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenessa Duncombe
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Earth’S Core ◽  
Earth's Core ◽  
Earth’S Inner Core

How old is Earth’s inner core? High-pressure and high-temperature experiments suggest that our planet’s inner furnace may be much younger than expected.

Thermodynamics from first principles: temperature and composition of the Earth’s core

2003 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Alfé ◽  
M. J. Gillan ◽  
G. D. Price
Keyword(s):  
Melting Temperature ◽  
First Principles ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Melting Curve ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
Earth’S Core ◽  
Earth's Core ◽  
The Core ◽  
Core Conditions ◽  
Main Ideas

AbstractWe summarize the main ideas used to determine the thermodynamic properties of pure systems and binary alloys from first principles calculations. These are based on the ab initio calculations of free energies. As an application we present the study of iron and iron alloys under Earth,s core conditions. In particular, we report the whole melting curve of iron under these conditions, and we put constraints on the composition of the core. We found that iron melts at 6350士600 K at the pressure corresponding to the boundary between the solid inner core and the liquid outer core (ICB). We show that the core could not have been formed from a binary mixture of Fe with S, Si or O and we propose a ternary or quaternary mixture with 8—10% of S/Si in both liquid and solid and an additional ~8% of oxygen in the liquid. Based on this proposed composition we calculate the shift of melting temperature with respect to the melting temperature of pure Fe of ~—700 K, so that our best estimate for the temperature of the Earth's core at ICB is 5650±600 K.

The fine structure of the Earth's core

1964 ◽  
Vol 54 (5A) ◽  
pp. 1299-1313 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Adams ◽  
M. J. Randall
Keyword(s):  
Fine Structure ◽  
Travel Time ◽  
Velocity Gradient ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
Earth’S Core ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Earth's Core ◽  
The Core

Abstract Detailed study of arrivals from accurately fixed earthquakes has revealed additional complexity in the travel-time curve for PKP. A notation is introduced in which observations are denoted by P′ with a two-letter suffix indicating the branch to which they belong, namely P′AB, P′IJ, P′GH and P′DF. A new velocity solution for the Earth's core has been derived from these observations. This velocity solution differs from those previously suggested in having three discontinuous increases in velocity between the outer and inner core, at levels corresponding to 0.570, 0.455 and 0.362 times the radius of the core. This implies two shells, each between 300 and 400 km thick, surrounding the inner core; in each shell there is a small negative velocity gradient. The outer discontinuity is sufficiently shallow to prevent rays in the outer core from forming a caustic.

scholarly journals Composition of the Earth's inner core from high-pressure sound velocity measurements in Fe–Ni–Si alloys

2010 ◽  
Vol 295 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 292-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Antonangeli ◽  
Julien Siebert ◽  
James Badro ◽  
Daniel L. Farber ◽  
Guillaume Fiquet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Sound Velocity ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Velocity Measurements ◽  
Earth’S Inner Core

scholarly journals Hydrogen in an early magma ocean: Implications for Earth’s core composition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Bouhifd ◽  
Rémi Delon ◽  
Nathalie Bolfan-Casanova ◽  
Geeth Manthilake ◽  
Federica Schiavi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magma Ocean ◽  
Earth’S Core ◽  
Earth's Core ◽  
Core Composition

Inefficient compaction in small planetary cores -- application to the Moon

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marine Lasbleis
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Energy Budget ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Light Elements ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Small Bodies ◽  
Typical Size ◽  
The Core ◽  
Planetary Cores

<div> <p>Growth of the solid inner core is generally considered to power the Earth's present geodynamo. Cristallisation of a solid central inner core has also been proposed to drive the lunar dynamo and to generate a magnetic field in smaller bodies. In a previous work, we estimated the compaction of planetary cores for different scenarios of growth (with or without supercooling) and different sizes of the inner core. Our main results indicated that small inner cores are unlikely to compact efficiently the liquid trapped during the first steps of the growth.</p> <p>This is especially true for small bodies for which the typical size of the core is similar to the compaction length. The light elements are thus trapped during the cristallisation, reducing the release of latent heat and of light elements. We present here a model to include the effect of an inefficient compaction in the energy budget of a planetary core and investigate the implications for the dynamo evolution in small bodies. We apply this model for the evolution of the core of the Moon. </p> </div>

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