Electrical Conductivity of the Lower-Mantle Ferropericlase
Electrical conductivity of the lower-mantle ferropericlase-(Mg{sub 0.75},Fe{sub 0.25})O has been studied using designer diamond anvils to pressures over one megabar and temperatures up to 500 K. The electrical conductivity of (Mg{sub 0.75},Fe{sub 0.25})O gradually rises by an order of magnitude up to 50 GPa but decreases by a factor of approximately three between 50 to 70 GPa. This decrease in the electrical conductivity is attributed to the electronic high-spin to low-spin transition of iron in ferropericlase. That is, the electronic spin transition of iron results in a decrease in the mobility and/or density of the charge transfer carriers in the low-spin ferropericlase. The activation energy of the low-spin ferropericlase is 0.27 eV at 101 GPa, similar to that of the high-spin ferropericlase at relatively low temperatures. Our results indicate that low-spin ferropericlase exhibits lower electrical conductivity than high-spin ferropericlase, which needs to be considered in future geomagnetic models for the lower mantle. The extrapolated electrical conductivity of the low-spin ferropericlase, together with that of silicate perovskite, at the lower mantle pressure-temperature conditions is consistent with the model electrical conductivity profile of the lower mantle.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 920481
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JRNL-230312; GPRLAJ; TRN: US200818%%666
- Journal Information:
- Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 34; ISSN 0094-8276
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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