Inner core composition paradox revealed by sound velocities of Fe and Fe-Si alloy

Haijun Huang, Lili Fan, Xun Liu, Feng Xu, Ye Wu, Gang Yang, Chunwei Leng, Qingsong Wang, Jidong Weng, Xiang Wang, Lingcang Cai and Yingwei Fei ()
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Haijun Huang: Wuhan University of Technology
Lili Fan: Wuhan University of Technology
Xun Liu: Wuhan University of Technology
Feng Xu: Wuhan University of Technology
Ye Wu: Wuhan University of Technology
Gang Yang: Wuhan University of Technology
Chunwei Leng: Wuhan University of Technology
Qingsong Wang: China Academy of Engineering Physics
Jidong Weng: China Academy of Engineering Physics
Xiang Wang: China Academy of Engineering Physics
Lingcang Cai: China Academy of Engineering Physics
Yingwei Fei: Carnegie Institution for Science

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Knowledge of the sound velocity of core materials is essential to explain the observed anomalously low shear wave velocity (VS) and high Poisson’s ratio (σ) in the solid inner core. To date, neither VS nor σ of Fe and Fe-Si alloy have been measured under core conditions. Here, we present VS and σ derived from direct measurements of the compressional wave velocity, bulk sound velocity, and density of Fe and Fe-8.6 wt%Si up to ~230 GPa and ~5400 K. The new data show that neither the effect of temperature nor incorporation of Si would be sufficient to explain the observed low VS and high σ of the inner core. A possible solution would add carbon (C) into the solid inner core that could further decrease VS and increase σ. However, the physical property-based Fe-Si-C core models seemingly conflict with the partitioning behavior of Si and C between liquid and solid Fe.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28255-2

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