The high-pressure phase relation of the MgSO4―H2O system and its implication for the internal structure of Ganymede

We have determined the phase relation of the MgSO4-H2O binary system using an externally heated diamond anvil cell in the compositional range of 0-30 wt.% MgSO4, and under temperature and pressure conditions from 298 to 500K and up to 4.5GPa. Using our experimental results, we were able to estimate...

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Published inIcarus (New York, N.Y. 1962) Vol. 211; no. 1; pp. 648 - 654
Main Authors NAKAMURA, Ryo, OHTANI, Eiji
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Amsterdam Elsevier 2011
Subjects
Astronomy
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Solar system
Composition
Satellites
Dynamics
Internal structure
Ice
Ices
Solar system
Jupiter satellite
Ganymede
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Summary:We have determined the phase relation of the MgSO4-H2O binary system using an externally heated diamond anvil cell in the compositional range of 0-30 wt.% MgSO4, and under temperature and pressure conditions from 298 to 500K and up to 4.5GPa. Using our experimental results, we were able to estimate the composition of the ice mantle of the large icy satellites of Jupiter, such as Ganymede. In our experiments, we identified the following phases in the MgSO4-H2O system up to 4GPa at 298K: Ices VI and VII, magnesium heptahydrate, MgSO4A.7H2O, and a liquid phase. The present phase relations suggest that there may be a deep internal ocean down to a depth about 800km in the interior of Ganymede.
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ISSN:0019-1035
1090-2643
DOI:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.08.029