Collaborative Research: Chemistry of the Earth's Deep Interior

知识价值。20世纪60年代活塞缸装置的发展彻底改变了对地球内部的研究，使模拟地球上地幔的情况成为可能。80年代多砧测井仪的普及，将岩石学的研究范围扩展到了下地幔顶部（下至750 km深度）。今天，激光加热金刚石砧细胞（DAC）和纳米级化学分析的进步为研究与地球深层内部有关的地球物理和地球化学问题提供了新的机会，这些问题超过100 GPa -一直到核心。本提案的目标是建立激光加热DAC作为研究极端条件下化学传质的工具，例如在核-地幔边界（CMB）发现的那些条件。我们建议进行“概念验证”和技术开发研究，为更广泛的研究奠定基础。具体项目包括(1)液态金属与液态硅酸盐之间的Ni、Co分配；(2)固体Fe与Fe- s熔体之间的Re、Pt、Os分配。我们预计实验的压力范围将达到100 GPa，这使我们能够对地球形成过程中假设的岩浆海洋的深度以及可能反映CMB和地核化学性质的地球化学特征进行实验限制。广泛的影响。该研究将在岩石学、矿物物理学、地球化学和地球物理学的交叉领域开辟新的研究机会，并为了解地球内部和开发新的前沿研究领域提供必要的高质量数据。该项目将包括培养研究生和博士后，为他们提供有竞争力的研究经验。预期结果将在实验岩石学、地球化学、地球物理、矿物物理学和地球动力学等许多不同领域产生广泛影响。此外，卡内基研究所和史密森尼国家自然历史博物馆之间的合作，确保了结果将被传播给非专业公众、K-12学生、国会议员和慈善家，并在更广泛的背景下促进地球科学研究，提高地球科学在公共领域的知名度。

Intellectual Merit. The development of the piston-cylinder apparatus in the 1960s revolutionized the study of the Earth's interior, allowing simulation of conditions in the Earth's upper mantle. Popularization of the multi-anvil device in the 80's extended petrology's reach to the top of the lower mantle (down to 750 km depth). Today, advances in laser-heated diamond anvil cell (DAC) and chemical analyses at the nano-scale open new opportunities for studying geophysical and geochemical problems related to the Earth's deep interior to greater than 100 GPa - all the way to the core. The goal of this proposal is to establish the laser-heated DAC as a tool to study chemical mass transfer under extreme conditions such as those found at the core-mantle boundary (CMB). We propose a "proof of concept" and technique development study to lay the groundwork for more extensive investigations. Specific projects include (1) Ni, Co partitioning between liquid metal and liquid silicate, and (2) Re, Pt, Os partitioning between solid Fe and Fe-S melt. We expect the experiments to range up to 100 GPa in pressure, allowing us to place experimental constraints on the depth of an hypothesized magma ocean during formation of the Earth, and the geochemical signatures that may reflect the chemistry of CMB and the Earth's core.Broad Impacts. The proposed research will open new research opportunities at the interface of petrology, mineral physics, geochemistry, and geophysics, and produce high-quality data that are necessary for understanding the interior of the Earth and develop new cutting-edge research frontiers. The project will involve training of graduate students and postdoctoral associates and provide them with competitive research experience. The expected results will have broad impact in many different fields including experimental petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, mineral physics, and geodynamics. Further, this collaboration between the Carnegie Institution and the Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History, ensures that the results will be disseminated to the lay-public, K-12 students, members of congress, and philanthropists, and placed within a broader context to promote Earth science research and increase the visibility of the Earth sciences in the public domain.