The extent of liquid immiscibility in planetesimal cores

Geoffrey Bromiley, M. Varnum, H. Terasaki, Tetsuya Komabayashi, J. Barosch

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Abstract / Description of output

We report results of experiments in the system Fe0.9Ni0.1, S, P, C, O, which constrain the extent of liquid immiscibility in planetesimal cores. Immiscibility results in segregation of Fe-rich (P-rich, C-rich) and FeS-rich (O-rich) liquids, with the extent of immiscibility dependent on volatile/light element content. Parental liquids to iron meteorites are volatile-poor, and based on our results, mostly represent miscible core-forming liquids. However, as these parental liquids were variably modified during/after planetesimal disruption, they are unlikely to fully represent original compositions of planetesimal cores. To better constrain planetesimal core compositions, we use data from chondrite meteorites to provide upper bounds on core volatile element content. Modelled ‘chondrite cores’ are mostly immiscible liquids. The extent of immiscibility in planetesimal cores was sensitive to the degree of volatile loss during core formation, which was likely variable across planetary bodies, and dependent on thermal history and planetary differentiation processes. As such, evidence for immiscibility in core-forming liquids is useful in constraining the extent of degassing during differentiation.
Original languageEnglish
JournalGeochemical Perspectives Letters
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Nov 2024

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