Sound velocities and density measurements of solid hcp-Fe and hcp-Fe–Si (9 wt.%) alloy at high pressure: Constraints on the Si abundance in the Earth's inner core

Abstract

We carried out sound velocity and density measurements on solid hcp-Fe and an hcp-Fe–Si alloy with 9 wt.% Si at 300 K up to ∼170 and ∼140 GPa, respectively. The results allow us to assess the density (ρ) dependence of the compressional sound velocity (VP) and of the shear sound velocity (VS) for pure Fe and the Fe–Si alloy. The established VP–ρ and VS–ρ relations are used to address the effect of Si on the velocities in the Fe–FeSi system in the range of Si concentrations 0 to 9 wt.% applicable to the Earth's core. Assuming an ideal linear mixing model, velocities vary with respect to those of pure Fe by ∼+80 m/s for VP and ∼−80 m/s for VS for each wt.% of Si at the inner core density of 13 000 kg/m3. The possible presence of Si in the inner core and the quantification of its amount strongly depend on anharmonic effects at high temperature and on actual core temperature.