Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences
Title : | High-pressure-temperature behavior of (Mg, Fe)2GeO4: Analogues for silicates of deep exoplanet interiors |
Area of research : | Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Rajkrishna Dutta, Indian Institute Of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Gujarat |
Timeline Start Year : | 2024 |
Timeline End Year : | 2026 |
Contact info : | raj.dutta@iitgn.ac.in |
Equipments : | Diamond Anvil Cell
Diamond Glue Jigs |
Details
Executive Summary : | Astronomical advancements have led to the discovery of several super Earth planets with masses 1-10 times larger than Earth. Understanding their structure and dynamics is crucial, as their internal pressure and temperature can reach several TPa pressures and 12,000-15,000 K. Phases like MgSiO3 post-perovskite, the last stable silicate phase, may show transitions that are energetically favored and expected to have significant effects on processes like mantle convection and plate tectonics. However, the conditions required for these transitions in the laboratory are currently beyond the reach of advanced experimental techniques. To study these transitions, (Mg,Fe)2GeO4 as an analogue of (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 is proposed. Density functional theory computations show several candidate structures, and experiments will be used to benchmark calculations and gain a better understanding of planetary silicates. |
Total Budget (INR): | 33,00,000 |
Organizations involved