Oxygen and silicon contents of Earth's core from high pressure metal–silicate partitioning experiments

Oxygen and silicon partitioning between molten metal and silicate melts was measured in samples synthezised in piston-cylinder and multi-anvil presses between 2 and 21 GPa, 2273 and 2873 K, and at oxygen fugacities of 1.5–3.6 log units below the iron–wüstite buffer. Our partitioning data are used together with published data to parameterize the individual effects of pressure, temperature and composition on the partitioning of oxygen and silicon. Results show that the oxygen metal–silicate partition coefficient increases with increasing oxygen fugacity, temperature and pressure, whereas the silicon metal-silicate partition coefficient increases with decreasing oxygen fugacity, increasing temperature and pressure. Silicon and oxygen contents of Earth's core were derived for different core formation models. Considering single-stage core formation at 40 GPa, 3200 K, IW-2, the core would contain 1 to 3.5 wt.% silicon and 0.5 to 2.5 wt.% oxygen. In a continuous core-formation scenario, and depending on the oxidation path, Si core content varies from 1 to 11 wt.%, whereas oxygen content ranges from 0 to 2.5 wt.%. These models show that the oxygen content in the core cannot be significantly higher than 2.5 wt.%. In these compositional models, a range of combined silicon and oxygen concentrations in the core could satisfies the seismologically observed range of outer core density deficits.

► Experimental partitioning of oxygen and silicon between metal and silicate melts. ► Thermodynamical modelling of oxygen and silicon partitioning. ► Oxygen core content cannot be significantly higher than 2.5 wt.%. ► Si core content varies from 1 to 11 wt.% depending on core formation models.