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A diamond-bearing core-mantle boundary on Mercury

Author

Listed:
  • Yongjiang Xu

    (Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research)

  • Yanhao Lin

    (Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research)

  • Peiyan Wu

    (Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research
    China University of Geosciences)

  • Olivier Namur

    (KU Leuven)

  • Yishen Zhang

    (KU Leuven)

  • Bernard Charlier

    (University of Liege, Sart Tilman)

Abstract

Abundant carbon was identified on Mercury by MESSENGER, which is interpreted as the remnant of a primordial graphite flotation crust, suggesting that the magma ocean and core were saturated in carbon. We re-evaluate carbon speciation in Mercury’s interior in light of the high pressure-temperature experiments, thermodynamic models and the most recent geophysical models of the internal structure of the planet. Although a sulfur-free melt would have been in the stability field of graphite, sulfur dissolution in the melt under the unique reduced conditions depressed the sulfur-rich liquidus to temperatures spanning the graphite-diamond transition. Here we show it is possible, though statistically unlikely, that diamond was stable in the magma ocean. However, the formation of a solid inner core caused diamond to crystallize from the cooling molten core and formation of a diamond layer becoming thicker with time.

Suggested Citation

  • Yongjiang Xu & Yanhao Lin & Peiyan Wu & Olivier Namur & Yishen Zhang & Bernard Charlier, 2024. "A diamond-bearing core-mantle boundary on Mercury," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49305-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49305-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bingqing Cheng & Sebastien Hamel & Mandy Bethkenhagen, 2023. "Thermodynamics of diamond formation from hydrocarbon mixtures in planets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Ulrich R. Christensen, 2006. "A deep dynamo generating Mercury’s magnetic field," Nature, Nature, vol. 444(7122), pages 1056-1058, December.
    3. E. Edmund & G. Morard & M. A. Baron & A. Rivoldini & S. Yokoo & S. Boccato & K. Hirose & A. Pakhomova & D. Antonangeli, 2022. "The Fe-FeSi phase diagram at Mercury’s core conditions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Megan D. Mouser, 2024. "A diamond layer in Mercury’s deep interior," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-2, December.

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