Density measurements of iron alloys at high pressure

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26800274
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Petrology/Mineralogy/Economic geology
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: Kuwayama Yasuhiro 愛媛大学, 地球深部ダイナミクス研究センター, 助教 (00554015)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 核 / 密度 / 状態方程式 / 鉄

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I performed in-situ x-ray diffraction studies, inelastic X-ray scattering measurements on solid and liquid iron and iron alloys at high pressure and high temperature using a laser heated diamond anvil cell high pressure apparatus to determine the structure, density and sound velocity of these alloys. I also performed electrical and thermal conductivity of iron at high pressure and high temperature. The results on density and sound velocity measurements indicate the core density deficit (cdd), which is the perceived difference between the seismically-determined density of the outer core and the density of pure iron at core conditions, is about 8%. The obtained electrical resistivity of iron at high pressure and high temperature is lower than the expected values, implying that the high thermal conductivity of Earth’s core, suggesting rapid core cooling and a young inner core less than 0.7 billion years old.

Free Research Field

高圧物質科学