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The viscosity of liquid iron at the physical conditions of the Earth's core

Author

Listed:
  • Gilles A. de Wijs

    (Keele University, Keele)

  • Georg Kresse

    (Keele University, Keele
    Institute for Theoretical Physics, Technical University of Vienna)

  • Lidunka Vočadlo

    (Research School of Geological and Geophysical Sciences, Birkbeck College and University College London)

  • David Dobson

    (Research School of Geological and Geophysical Sciences, Birkbeck College and University College London)

  • Dario Alfè

    (Keele University, Keele)

  • Michael J. Gillan

    (Keele University, Keele)

  • Geoffrey D. Price

    (Research School of Geological and Geophysical Sciences, Birkbeck College and University College London)

Abstract

It is thought that the Earth's outer core consists mainly of liquid iron and that the convection of this metallic liquid gives rise to the Earth's magnetic field. A full understanding of this convection is hampered, however, by uncertainty regarding the viscosity of theouter core. Viscosity estimates from various sources span no less than 12 orders of magnitude1,2, and it seems unlikely that thisuncertainty will be substantially reduced by experimental measurements in the near future. Here we present dynamical first-principles simulations of liquid iron which indicate that the viscosity of iron at core temperatures and pressures is at the low end of the range of previous estimates — roughly 10 times that of typical liquid metals at ambient pressure. This estimate supports the approximation commonly made in magnetohydrodynamic models that the outer core is an inviscid fluid3,4,5 undergoing small-scale circulation and turbulent convection6, rather than large-scale global circulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilles A. de Wijs & Georg Kresse & Lidunka Vočadlo & David Dobson & Dario Alfè & Michael J. Gillan & Geoffrey D. Price, 1998. "The viscosity of liquid iron at the physical conditions of the Earth's core," Nature, Nature, vol. 392(6678), pages 805-807, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:392:y:1998:i:6678:d:10.1038_33905
    DOI: 10.1038/33905
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