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: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=569087
• 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.

行星如何运作？行星内部深处的大规模过程控制着行星表面发生的大部分事情。例如，地核内部和流出地幔的热量和质量流会引起板块运动、地震，并产生保护生命的磁场。 类地行星体，地球、水星、金星、火星以及木星的卫星 Io 和 Ganymede 的核心主要由铁 (Fe) 以及约 10-20wt% 的其他较轻元素（例如硫 (S) 和/或硅 (Si)）组成。我们对核心模拟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的整体全球过程的理解至关重要。我的研究重点是行星内部深处材料的物理化学性质的高压（P）、温度（T）实验研究。 我们通过在四台大体积压机中同时测量极端 P (23GPa) 和 T (2300K) 条件下的地核和地幔材料特性，将难以接近的行星内部深处带入实验室。我的团队将采用我们实验室开发的新技术来测量核心 (Fe-S-Si) 和地幔（蛇纹岩、橄榄石）材料的粘度、电导率和导热率、密度和声学特性。我们的短期目标是回答以下问题：Fe-S 和 Fe-Si 是否在核心中？这些二元系统的电导率和热导率是多少？溶质是否会影响这些对于核心过程（例如类地物体中的地球发电机和传导热流）如此重要的特性？ 铀能否溶解在铁中，成为地核中可能的能源，帮助驱动地球的热机？深层地震是由矿物相变引发的吗？对这些关于行星材料微观尺度行为的问题的回答可以让我们更好地理解它们控制的宏观尺度过程，并有助于解释行星如何运作。拟议工作将涉及 1 名 PDF 学生、8 名博士生、2 名硕士生和 2 名本科生、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。