EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR) -- Zerr et al. 1998

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Zerr et al. 1998

Zerr, A., Diegeler, A. and Boehler, R. (1998). Solidus of Earth's deep mantle. Science 281(5374): 243-246.

The solidus of a pyrolite-like composition, approximating that of the lower mantle, was measured up to 59 gigapascals by using CO2 laser heating in a diamond anvil. cell. The solidus temperatures are at Least 700 kelvin below the melting temperatures of magnesiowustite, which in the deep mantle has the Lowest melting temperatures of the three major components-magnesiowustite, Mg-Si-perovskite, and Ca-Si-perovskite. The solidus in the deep mantle is more than 1500 kelvin above the average present-day geotherm, but at the core-mantle boundary it is near the core temperature. Thus, partial melting of the mantle is possible at the core-mantle boundary.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

	Abstract

Keywords
melting temperature, high-pressures, peridotite, core

Journal
Science
http://www.sciencemag.org/

Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science
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