Experimental Studies of Earth Materials at Extreme Pressure and Temperature Conditions of Planetary Interiors

行星内部极端压力和温度条件下地球材料的实验研究

• 批准号: 105604-2013
• 负责人: Secco, Richard
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: University of Western Ontario
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2014-01-01 至 2015-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=545182
• 关键词: Experimental; Studies; Earth; Materials; Extreme

How do planets work? Large scale processes deep in the interior of planets control much of what happens on the surface. For example, heat and mass flow within and from Earth's core through the mantle causes plate motions, earthquakes, and generates our life-protecting magnetic field. The cores of terrestrial-like planetary bodies, Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter's moons Io and Ganymede, are composed mainly of iron (Fe) with ~10-20wt% of other lighter elements such as sulfur (S) and/or silicon (Si). Our knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of core mimetic materials is central to improving our understanding of the integrated global processes of heat and mass flow inside these planetary bodies. My research focuses on high pressure (P), temperature (T) experimental studies of the physico-chemical properties of the materials deep in planetary interiors. We bring the inaccessible deep interior of planets into the lab by measuring properties of core and mantle materials under simultaneous extreme P (23GPa) and T (2300K) conditions in four large volume presses. My team will employ novel techniques developed in our lab to measure viscosity, electrical and thermal conductivity, density, and acoustic properties of core (Fe-S-Si) and mantle (serpentinite, olivine) materials. Our short term goals are to answer questions such as: Are Fe-S and Fe-Si in the core? What are the electrical and thermal conductivities of these binary systems? Does the solute affect these properties which are so important for core processes such as the geodynamo and conductive heat flow in terrestrial-like bodies? Can uranium dissolve in Fe and be a possible energy source in the core that helps drive Earth's heat engine? Are deep earthquakes triggered by mineral phase transitions? Answers to these questions on the micro-scale behaviour of planetary materials lead to a better understanding of the macro-scale processes that they control and help explain how planets work. The proposed work will involve 1 PDF, 8 PhD, 2 MSc and 2 BSc students, 1 research assistant and 7 technical personnel. My HQP will receive extensive training in experimental high P,T mineral physics which will prepare them for employment in academic, government and private sectors.

行星是如何运行的？行星内部深处的大规模过程控制着表面上发生的大部分事情。例如，地核内部和从地核流经地幔的热流和质量流会引起板块运动、地震，并产生保护生命的磁场。地球、水星、金星、火星以及木星的卫星木卫一和木卫三等类地行星的核心主要由铁(Fe)和其他较轻元素组成，如硫(S)和/或硅(Si)。我们对类核材料的物理和化学性质的了解，对于提高我们对这些行星体内热量和质量流动的综合全球过程的理解至关重要。我的研究主要集中在高压(P)、温度(T)下对行星内部深处物质的物理化学性质的实验研究。我们通过在四个大体积压力机上同时测量极端P(23 Gpa)和T(2300K)条件下的核和地幔物质的性质，将难以进入的行星深部带入实验室。我的团队将使用我们实验室开发的新技术来测量岩芯(Fe-S-Si)和地幔(蛇纹岩、橄榄石)材料的粘度、电导率和热导率、密度和声学性质。我们的短期目标是回答这样的问题：铁-S和铁-硅是核心吗？这些双星系统的导电率和导热率是多少？溶质是否会影响这些性质，这些性质对于地球发电机和类地天体中的传导热流等核心过程是如此重要？铀能否溶解在铁中，成为地核中的一种可能的能源，帮助驱动地球的热机？深部地震是由矿物相变引发的吗？对这些关于行星材料微观行为的问题的回答有助于更好地理解它们控制的宏观过程，并有助于解释行星是如何工作的。拟议的工作将涉及1名PDF、8名博士、2名硕士和2名理科学生、1名研究助理和7名技术人员。我的HQP将接受实验高P，T矿物物理方面的广泛培训，这将为他们在学术、政府和私营部门就业做好准备。