scholarly journals High Pressure and High Temperature Equation-of-State of Gamma and Liquid Iron

1997 ◽  
Vol 499 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Q. Chen ◽  
Thomas J. Ahrens

ABSTRACTShock-wave experiments on pure iron preheated to 1573 K were conducted in the 17–73 GPa range. The shock-wave equation of state of γ-iron at an initial temperature of 1573 K can be fit with us = 4.102 (0.015) km/s + 1.610(0.014) up with ρo = 7.413±0.012 Mg/m3 We obtain for γ-iron's bulk modulus and pressure derivative the values: 124.7±1.1 GPa and 5.44±0.06, respectively.We present new data for sound velocities in the γ- and liquid-phases. In the γ-phase, to a first approximation, the longitudinal sound velocity is linear with respect to density: Vp = −3.13 (0.72) + 1.119(0.084) p(units for Vp and p are km/s and Mg/m3, respectively). Melting was observed in the highest pressure (about 70–73 GPa) experiments at a calculated shock temperature of 2775±160 K. This result is consistent with a previously calculated melting curve (for ε-iron) which is close to those measured by Boehler [1] and Saxena et al. [2]. The liquid iron sound velocity data yields a Grüneisen parameter value of 1.63±0.28 at 9.37±0.02 Mg/m3 at 71.6 GPa. The quantity γρ is 15.2±2.6 Mg/m3, which agrees with the uncertainty bounds of Brown and McQueen [3] (13.3–19.6 Mg/m3). Based on upward pressure and temperature extrapolation of the melting curve of γ-iron, the estimated inner core-outer core boundary temperature is 5500±400 K, the temperature at the core-mantle boundary on the outer core side is 3930±630 K.

The phase diagram of iron is presented for P < 330 GPa. The melting curve is derived from Stevenson’s generalized form of Lindemann’s law, successfully connecting the low-pressure (5-20 GPa) measurements to the new shock-wave measurements of 250 GPa. The isothermal equation of state of e-iron (h.c.p.) and y-iron (f.c.c.), indicate that the inner core density is that of pure solid iron. The present experiments cannot distinguish between the e or y phase for the inner core, but preference is given to y-iron. From these constructions, it is concluded that the melting temperature of iron at the inner core - outer core boundary pressure, T (i.c.b.), is 5200-6600 K. A likely model of the outer core temperature is presented by taking 5800 K as the probable value of T (i.c.b.), and assuming a temperature drop of 1000 K due to chemically induced melting point depression. This yields 3620 K for the T of the core side of the core-mantle boundary (c.m.b.). This model results in a large AjT(D"), (700 K), at the c.m.b., but the shock-wave data also allow other models where A!T(D") is less. A numerical experiment reveals that the value for A T(D") of 700 K does not lead to distortion of the density profile. The (y-8-liquid) triple point is beyond the i.c.b. Thus, diluted y-iron in the liquid phase constitutes the outer core. The experiments support a thermally driven model of the geomagnetic dynamo, and further support a model of a slowly freezing inner core for the energy source.


Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroki Ichikawa ◽  
Taku Tsuchiya

The earth’s core is thought to be composed of Fe-Ni alloy including substantially large amounts of light elements. Although oxygen, silicon, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and hydrogen have been proposed as candidates for the light elements, little is known about the amount and the species so far, primarily because of the difficulties in measurements of liquid properties under the outer core pressure and temperature condition. Here, we carry out massive ab initio computations of liquid Fe-Ni-light element alloys with various compositions under the whole outer core P, T condition in order to quantitatively evaluate their thermoelasticity. Calculated results indicate that Si and S have larger effects on the density of liquid iron than O and H, but the seismological reference values of the outer core can be reproduced simultaneously by any light elements except for C. In order to place further constraints on the outer core chemistry, other information, in particular melting phase relations of iron light elements alloys at the inner core-outer core boundary, are necessary. The optimized best-fit compositions demonstrate that the major element composition of the bulk earth is expected to be CI chondritic for the Si-rich core with the pyrolytic mantle or for the Si-poor core and the (Mg,Fe)SiO3-dominant mantle. But the H-rich core likely causes a distinct Fe depletion for the bulk Earth composition.


2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (9) ◽  
pp. 1349-1354
Author(s):  
Jie Fu ◽  
Lingzhi Cao ◽  
Xiangmei Duan ◽  
Anatoly B. Belonoshko

Abstract Pressure-temperature-volume (P-T-V) data on liquid iron-sulfur (Fe-S) alloys at the Earth's outer core conditions (~136 to 330 GPa, ~4000 to 7000 K) have been obtained by first-principles molecular dynamics simulations. We developed a thermal equation of state (EoS) composed of Murnaghan and Mie-Grüneisen-Debye expressions for liquid Fe-S alloys. The density and sound velocity are calculated and compared with Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM) to constrain the S concentration in the outer core. Since the temperature at the inner core boundary (TICB) has not been measured precisely (4850~7100 K), we deduce that the S concentration ranges from 10~14 wt% assuming S is the only light element. Our results also show that Fe-S alloys cannot satisfy the seismological density and sound velocity simultaneously and thus S element is not the only light element. Considering the geophysical and geochemical constraints, we propose that the outer core contains no more than 3.5 wt% S, 2.5 wt% O, or 3.8 wt% Si. In addition, the developed thermal EoS can be utilized to calculate the thermal properties of liquid Fe-S alloys, which may serve as the fundamental parameters to model the Earth's outer core.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoichi Nakajima ◽  
Saori Imada ◽  
Kei Hirose ◽  
Tetsuya Komabayashi ◽  
Haruka Ozawa ◽  
...  

Science ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 375 (6577) ◽  
pp. 202-205
Author(s):  
Richard G. Kraus ◽  
Russell J. Hemley ◽  
Suzanne J. Ali ◽  
Jonathan L. Belof ◽  
Lorin X. Benedict ◽  
...  

Terapascal iron-melting temperature The pressure and temperature conditions at which iron melts are important for terrestrial planets because they determine the size of the liquid metal core, an important factor for understanding the potential for generating a radiation-shielding magnetic field. Kraus et al . used laser-driven shock to determine the iron-melt curve up to a pressure of 1000 gigapascals (see the Perspective by Zhang and Lin). This value is about three times that of the Earth’s inner core boundary. The authors found that the liquid metal core lasted the longest for Earth-like planets four to six times larger in mass than the Earth. —BG


2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (39) ◽  
pp. 12042-12045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuliana Aquilanti ◽  
Angela Trapananti ◽  
Amol Karandikar ◽  
Innokenty Kantor ◽  
Carlo Marini ◽  
...  

Temperature, thermal history, and dynamics of Earth rely critically on the knowledge of the melting temperature of iron at the pressure conditions of the inner core boundary (ICB) where the geotherm crosses the melting curve. The literature on this subject is overwhelming, and no consensus has been reached, with a very large disagreement of the order of 2,000 K for the ICB temperature. Here we report new data on the melting temperature of iron in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell to 103 GPa obtained by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, a technique rarely used at such conditions. The modifications of the onset of the absorption spectra are used as a reliable melting criterion regardless of the solid phase from which the solid to liquid transition takes place. Our results show a melting temperature of iron in agreement with most previous studies up to 100 GPa, namely of 3,090 K at 103 GPa.


1973 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 1073-1105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Qamar

abstract Travel times and amplitudes of PKP and PKKP from three earthquakes and four underground nuclear explosions are presented. Observations of reflected core waves at nearly normal angles of incidence provide new constraints on the average velocities in the inner and outer core. Interpretation of these data suggests that several small but significant changes to Bolt's (1962) core velocity model (T2) are necessary. A revised velocity model KOR5 is given together with the derived travel times that are consistent with the 1968 tables for P. Model KOR5 possesses a velocity in the transition zone which is 112 per cent lower than that in model T2. In addition, KOR5 has a velocity jump at the transition zone boundary (r = 1782 km) of 0.013 km/sec and a jump at the inner core boundary (r = 1213 km) of 0.6 km/sec. These values are, respectively, 1/20 and 2/3 of the corresponding model T2 values.


Author(s):  
T. Matsumura ◽  
Y. Kuwayama ◽  
K. Ueki ◽  
T. Kuwatani ◽  
Y. Ando ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 3817-3841
Author(s):  
M. Yoshida

Abstract. An east-west hemispherically asymmetric structure for Earth's inner core has been suggested by various seismological evidence, but its origin is not clearly understood. Here, to investigate the possibility of an "endogenic origin" for the degree-one thermal/mechanical structure of the inner core, I performed new numerical simulations of thermal convection in the growing inner core. A setup value that controls the viscosity contrast between the inner core boundary and the interior of the inner core, ΔηT, was taken as a free parameter. Results show that the degree-one structure only appeared for a limited range of ΔηT; such a scenario may be possible but is not considered probable for the real Earth. The degree-one structure may have been realized by an "exogenous factor" due to the planetary-scale thermal coupling among the lower mantle, the outer core, and the inner core, not by an endogenic factor due to the internal rheological heterogeneity.


2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (S248) ◽  
pp. 374-378
Author(s):  
C. L. Huang

AbstractAt the IAU 26th GA held in Prague in 2006, a new precession model (P03) was recommended and adopted to replace the old one, IAU1976 precession model. This new P03 model is to match the IAU2000 nutation model that is for anelastic Earth model and was adopted in 2003 to replace the previous IAU1980 model. However, this IAU2000 nutation model is also not a perfect one for our complex Earth, as stated in the resolution of IAU nutation working group. The Earth models in the current nutation theories are idealized and too simple, far from the real one. They suffer from several geophysical factors: the an-elasticity of the mantle, the atmospheric loading and wind, the oceanic loading and current, the atmospheric and oceanic tides, the (lateral) heterogeneity of the mantle, the differential rotation between the inner core and the mantle, and various couplings between the fluid outer core and its neighboring solids (mantle and inner core). In this paper, first we give a very brief review of the current theoretical studies of non-rigid Earth nutation, and then focus on the couplings near the core-mantle boundary and the inner core-outer core boundary, including the electro-magnetic, viscous, topographic, and gravitational couplings. Finally, we outline some interesting future studies.


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