Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. A seismologically consistent compositional model of Earth's core
 
research article

A seismologically consistent compositional model of Earth's core

Badro, James  
•
Cote, Alexander S.
•
Brodholt, John P.
2014
Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America (PNAS)

Earth's core is less dense than iron, and therefore it must contain "light elements," such as S, Si, O, or C. We use ab initio molecular dynamics to calculate the density and bulk sound velocity in liquid metal alloys at the pressure and temperature conditions of Earth's outer core. We compare the velocity and density for any composition in the (Fe-Ni, C, O, Si, S) system to radial seismological models and find a range of compositional models that fit the seismological data. We find no oxygen-free composition that fits the seismological data, and therefore our results indicate that oxygen is always required in the outer core. An oxygen-rich core is a strong indication of high-pressure and high-temperature conditions of core differentiation in a deep magma ocean with an FeO concentration (oxygen fugacity) higher than that of the present-day mantle.

  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
research article
DOI
10.1073/pnas.1316708111
Web of Science ID

WOS:000336411300023

Author(s)
Badro, James  
Cote, Alexander S.
Brodholt, John P.
Date Issued

2014

Publisher

National Academy of Sciences

Published in
Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America (PNAS)
Volume

111

Issue

21

Start page

7542

End page

7545

Subjects

mineral physics

•

first principles

•

geophysics

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
EPSL  
Available on Infoscience
June 23, 2014
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/104584
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés