Gravitational stability of iron-rich peridotite melt at Mars’ core-mantle boundary
摘要
Possible existence of dense iron-rich silicate melt layer above Mars’ core is important in understanding the nature and evolution of Mars. However, gravitational stability of iron-rich silicate melt in the Mars’ interior has not been well constrained, due to experimental difficulties in measuring density of iron-rich peridotitic melt. Here we report density measurements of iron-rich peridotitic melts up to 2465 K by using electrostatic levitation furnace at the International Space Station. Our experimentally obtained densities of iron-rich peridotitic melts are markedly higher than those calculated by first principles simulation, and are distinct from those estimated by extrapolating a density model for SiO2-rich basaltic melts. Our determined density model suggests that peridotitic melt with the Fe/(Mg+Fe) ratio more than 0.4-0.5 has higher density than that at the base of the Mars’ mantle, which indicates gravitational stability of the iron-rich peridotitic melt at the core-mantle boundary in Mars.