Related papers: FeOOH instability at the lower mantle conditions
The core accretion model for giant planet formation suggests a two layer picture for the initial structure of Jovian planets, with heavy elements in a dense core and a thick H-He envelope. Late planetesimal accretion and core erosion could…
Atmospheres above lava-ocean planets (LOPs) hold clues as to the properties of their interiors, owing to the expectation that the two reservoirs are in chemical equilibrium. Here we consider `mineral' atmospheres produced in equilibrium…
In the aftermath of the Moon-forming giant impact, the Hadean Earth's mantle and surface crystallized from a global magma ocean blanketed by a dense volatile-rich atmosphere. While prior studies have explored the thermal evolution of such…
Geological evidence suggests liquid water near the Earth's surface as early as 4.4 billion years ago when the faint young Sun only radiated about 70% of its modern power output. At this point, the Earth should have been a global snowball if…
Jets often have a helical structure containing ejected plasma that is both hot and also cooler and denser than the corona. Various mechanisms have been proposed to explain how jets are primarily attributed to a magnetic reconnection between…
We present a population-level view of volatile gas species (H$_2$, He, H$_2$O, O$_2$, CO, CO$_2$, CH$_4$) distribution during the sub-Neptune to rocky planet transition, revealing in detail the dynamic nature of small planet atmospheric…
Ferromagnesite (Mg,Fe)CO3, also referred to as magnesiosiderite at high iron concentration, is a solid solution of magnesite (MgCO3) and siderite (FeCO3). Ferromagnesite is believed to enter the Earth's lower mantle via subduction and is…
The formation of the Earth's core is a consequence of planetary accretion and processes in the Earth's interior. The mechanical process of planetary differentiation is likely to occur in large, if not global, magma oceans created by the…
Knowing the isotopic composition of Theia, the proto-planet which collided with the Earth in the Giant Impact that formed the Moon, could provide interesting insights on the state of homogenization of the inner solar system at the late…
How life started on Earth is an unsolved mystery. There are various hypotheses for the location ranging from outer space to the seafloor, subseafloor or potentially deeper. Here, we applied extensive ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD)…
Magma ocean crystallisation sets up the early structure and long-term evolution of terrestrial planets. Recent seismic evidence signals the presence of a silicate layer at the base of Mars' mantle. Magma-ocean crystallisation and subsequent…
We have identified iridium in an ~5 m-thick section of pelagic sediment cored in the deep sea floor at Site 886C, in addition to a distinct spike in iridium at the K-Pg boundary related to the Chicxulub asteroid impact. We distinguish the…
Nucleosynthetic Fe isotopic anomalies in meteorites may be used to reconstruct the early dynamical evolution of the solar system and to identify the origin and nature of the material that built planets. Using high-precision iron isotopic…
Inside-Out Planet Formation (IOPF) is a theory of {\it in situ} formation via pebble accretion of close-in Earth to Super-Earth mass planets at the pressure maximum associated with the dead zone inner boundary (DZIB), whose location is set…
The Moon-forming giant impact significantly influenced the initial thermal state of Earth's mantle by generating a global magma ocean, marking the onset of mantle evolution. Recent Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations indicate…
Ferropericlase (fp), (Mg$_{1-x}$Fe$_x$)O, the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's lower mantle, is expected to be an essential component of super-Earths' mantles. Here we present an ab initio investigation of the structure and…
The transport properties (electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, and viscosity) of iron-hydrogen alloys are of great significance in the stability and evolution of planetary magnetic fields. Here, we investigate the thermal transport…
The Fe/MgO magnetic tunnel junction is a classic spintronic system, with current importance technologically, and interest for future innovation. The key magnetic properties are linked directly to the structure of hard-to-access buried…
The glaciological record of atmospheric composition suggests O2 has declined over the last 800000 years at an average rate of 0.3 x 1012 mol (Tmol) O2 yr-1. Because the geological carbon cycle regulates long term atmospheric oxygen…
Super-Earths and sub-Neptunes are the most common exoplanets, with a "radius valley" suggesting that super-Earths may form by shedding sub-Neptunes' gaseous envelopes. Exoplanets that lie closer to the super-Earth side of the valley are…