Iron-water system at high pressure

Iron-water system at high pressure is a key for understanding of a global Earth water cycle and evolution of our planet

Water or water-bearing species from crust and to the lower mantle has a strong impact not only on life on our planet but also on numerous processes in Earth’s interiors. Presence of water affects chemical and physical properties of mantle minerals, changes melting temperatures, sound velocities and viscosity of materials, and causing different global phenomena such as, for example, arc volcanism and plate tectonics.
Iron-rich hydrous phases (“rust”) formed in huge quantities as a product of metabolism of anoxygenic prokaryotes inhabiting the Earth from about 3.8 billion years are considered to transfer the water into the deep Earth interiors submerging into the Earth mantle with subducting slabs. Possible transfer of water with these species could have a crucial impact on the geodynamical evolution of our planet in the present and past. Understanding of the rust behaviour at the lower mantle at high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) conditions is required to withdraw more deep understanding of a global water cycle. Understanding of the rust behaviour at the lower mantle high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) conditions is required to withdraw more deep understanding of a global water cycle.