Chemical Thermodynamics of Earth's Core Materials Under High Pressure

Explore the chemical thermodynamics of Earth's core materials under high pressure in this comprehensive lecture by Dr. Tetsuya Komabayashi from the University of Liverpool's Earth Sciences department. Delve into the ongoing quest to determine the light elements present in the Earth's core, a mystery that has persisted for over 70 years. Examine the challenges in studying the mixing properties of Fe-X liquids under core pressure conditions and learn about the development of thermodynamic models applicable to Earth's core pressure-temperature conditions in various systems. Discover how high-pressure experiments in diamond anvil cells are used to determine key phase relations and how the equation of state for end-member liquids is assessed based on their melting curves. Gain insights into the evaluation of mixing properties through eutectic point calculations and understand how the Gibbs free energy can be used to determine crucial parameters of the outer and inner core. Compare geophysically observable parameters with seismological data and discuss the relevance of each system to the Earth's core composition and formation.