Iron spin crossover in ferropericlase and its effect on lower-mantle thermal conductivity

Abstract

Thermal conductivity of Earths lower mantle controls heat transfer across the core-mantle boundary (CMB) and strongly influences mantle convection. We report direct measurements of the thermal conductivity of single-crystal ferropericlase (Mg${}_{1-x}$Fe${}_x$O, $x=0.09$-0.13), the second most abundant lower-mantle mineral, using optical laser flash and X-ray free-electron laser heating in diamond-anvil cells up to $\sim 2200$~K and 130~GPa. These experiments provide the first conductivity data for ferropericlase at simultaneous lower-mantle pressures and temperatures. A marked reduction in conductivity between 60 and 100~GPa at $\sim 1700$~K is consistent with the iron spin crossover. Combined with our previous results for Fe- and Fe,Al-bearing bridgmanite, the data define a lower-mantle conductivity profile that increases with pressure to $\sim 10$~W\,m${}^{-1}$\,K${}^{-1}$ near the CMB, constraining mantle heat flux, plume buoyancy, and long-term geodynamic evolution.

31 pages, 11 figures