Collaborative Research: GLOW: Iron Redox Reactions in Magma Oceans and Differentiation of Rocky Planets

地球的地幔被氧化的程度远远超过了它的组成部分。地幔的氧化对地球的宜居性有很大的影响。由于氧化作用，我们的大气层中含有足够的氧气来维持生命。一种理论认为，地幔氧化发生在地球历史的“岩浆海洋”阶段。当早期的地球还在熔融和形成时，它被一片炽热而深厚的岩浆海洋所覆盖。研究氧化过程对于理解岩浆海洋在使地球宜居方面所起的作用很重要。科学家们还想知道这一过程如何适用于其他行星和系外行星。这项研究项目将把地球科学家和天文学家聚集在一起，研究行星如何通过地幔氧化变得适合人类居住。该项目还将制作教育材料，并回答有关地质和生活之间的关系的问题。这一地球科学课程奖将使研究人员能够在与地球和类地行星的岩浆海洋中的硅酸盐-金属反应直接相关的压力、温度和成分下进行实验。实验将使用在悬浮炉中合成的橄榄岩玻璃原料。样品将在激光加热的金刚石顶压室中承受高达140 Gpa和6000K的压力和温度。这些产品将使用同步加速器穆斯堡尔光谱分析其铁和亚铁的比例。实验结果将被纳入一个热力学模型，该模型将根据行星的大小和核心的形成条件，预测行星地幔的氧化及其宜居性。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Earth’s mantle is far more oxidized than its building blocks. The oxidation of the mantle has a large effect on our planet’s habitability. Because of the oxidation, our atmosphere contains enough oxygen to support life. One theory suggests that mantle oxidation occurred during the “magma ocean” stage of Earth’s history. When early Earth was still molten and forming, it was covered by a hot and deep ocean of magma. Studying the oxidation process is important for understanding the role of the magma ocean in making Earth habitable. Scientists also want to know how this process applies to other planets and exoplanets. This research project will bring together geoscientists and astronomers to study how planets become habitable through mantle oxidation. The project will also create educational materials and answer questions about the relationship between geology and life. This Geoscience Lessons for and from Other Worlds (GLOW) award will enable researchers to conduct experiments at pressures, temperatures, and compositions directly relevant to silicate-metal reactions in magma oceans of Earth and Earth-like planets. The experiments will use peridotite glass starting materials synthesized in a levitation furnace. The samples will be subjected to pressures and temperatures up to 140 GPa and 6000 K in laser-heated diamond anvil cells. The products will be analyzed for their ferric and ferrous iron ratio using synchrotron Mössbauer spectroscopy. The experimental results will be incorporated into a thermodynamic model that will allow prediction of the oxidation of a planetary mantle and its habitability, depending on the size of the planet and the conditions of formation of its core.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.