Groundbreaking Research on Earth's Elements

In a pioneering study, researchers have uncovered crucial insights into how hydrogen and carbon are partitioned within Earth's core. By examining the metal/silicate partition coefficients for these elements under conditions similar to those during Earth's core formation, they reveal a fascinating interplay of forces at work.

The Fascinating Dynamics of Carbon and Hydrogen

Experiments indicate that hydrogen and carbon strongly influence each other's behavior when mixed in liquid metal, leading to substantial drops in their respective partition coefficients, DH and DC. This revelation paints a complex picture of how these fundamental elements interact deep within the Earth.

Rethinking Earth's Building Blocks

This research significantly challenges previous models that used individual measurements of DH and DC. The findings suggest that Earth's primordial materials don’t align with the water content found in enstatite chondrites, hinting instead at a contribution from carbonaceous chondrites.

Exciting New Models of Core Formation

Utilizing advanced multi-stage core formation models and considering isotopic composition, researchers estimate the core could contain between 0.18% to 0.49% of hydrogen and 0.19% to 1.37% of carbon. This translates to an impressive 0.53% to 1.40% of water (as hydrogen) in the core, along with 0.07% to 0.44% carbon in the bulk Earth.

Astonishing Origins of Earth's Water and Carbon

Remarkably, the study suggests that nearly 53% of Earth’s water and up to 72% of its carbon could originate from materials not linked to carbonaceous chondrites. This finding could revolutionize our understanding of how these essential elements came to be part of our planet.

A Collaborative Scientific Effort

This research involved a collaboration among esteemed institutions, including the University of Tokyo and Hokkaido University, showcasing the global effort to decode Earth's origin story.