Eleventh Annual V. M.

Goldschmidt Conference (2001)

3576.pdf

MELTING IN THE EARTHS LOWER MANTLE. V. J. Hillgren 1 and R. Boehler1, 1Max Planck Inst. fr Chemie, Postfach 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany, hillgren@mpch-mainz.mpg.de. Understanding the melting behavior of Earth materials at the pressure and temperature conditions of the Earths lower mantle is crucial to deciphering the early history and differentiation of the Earth and to determining if partial melting of the mantle is responsible for the seismologically observed ultra-low velocity zone at the core-mantle boundary. There are only three methods to study melting behavior at the conditions of the Earths deep interior: experimentally with shockwaves or with the laser heated diamond anvil cell and through theoretical simulations such as molecular dynamics. The melting of MgO, an important component of the lower mantle, has been studied with both the laser heated diamond anvil cell and with theoretical simulations. However, the results of these two methods are in stark disagreement. Figure 1 illustrates the large discrepancy between the diamond anvil cell measurements and the theoretical simulations, as well as the disparity among the various calculations. While several groups have attempted to calculate the melting curve of MgO [2-5], the only experimentally derived melting curve is that of Zerr and Boehler [1]. With no other experimental data with which to compare, it is problematic to assess whether anything in Zerr and Boehler's experimental set-up resulted in a systematic lowering of the melting temperatures they measured. For example, in Zerr and Boehler's experiments, a single crystal of MgO was embedded in an Ar pressure media and then heated with a CO2 laser. Although seemingly unlikely, an interaction between the MgO and Ar pressure media cant be entirely ruled out. Thus, the only way to critically evaluate the experimental data of Zerr and Boehler is to perform further experiments with different pressure media and/or different techniques. We will measure the melting of MgO by indirect heating of the MgO using an YLF laser with either a Re or W absorber. In all cases, there is the potential for interaction between the MgO and either the pressure media or the heater material. However, if the results from all techniques agree, then any possible interactions are miniscule and dont affect results.

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Zerr and Boehler (1994) Range of theoretical estimates

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Temperture (K)

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Pressure (GPa)

Figure 1: The experimental data of Zerr and Boehler [1] compared to theoretical estimates of the melting of MgO. The theoretical data includes Cohen and Gong [2], Vacadlo and Price [3], Belonoshko and Dubrovinsky [4,5]. References: [1] Zerr, A. and Boehler, R. (1994) Nature, 371, 506-509. [2] Cohen, R. E. and Gong, Z. (1994) Phys. Rev. B, 50, 12301-12311. [3] Vacadlo, L. and Price, G. D. (1996) Phys. Chem. Mineral., 23, 42-49. [4] Belonoshko, A. B. and Dubrovinsky, L. S. (1996) Am. Mineral., 81, 303-316. [5] Belonoshko, A. B. and Dubrovinsky, L. S. (1996) Am. Mineral., 82, 441-451. .