Stratification in the core of Mercury
Abstract
Thermal evolution studies of Mercury indicate that the present-day heat flow at the core-mantle boundary is subadiabatic. This suggests the presence of a thermally stratified layer in the upper part of the core. Heat is transported by conduction in this stable layer. Consequently a thinner part of the core is available to generate the dynamo by convection motion when the stratified layer thickens. Furthermore, conduction being less effective than convection to transport heat, the presence of a conductive layer in the core affects its thermal evolution with consequences on the growth of a solid inner core. In this work we use a coupled thermal evolution of the core and the mantle to study the formation of a thermally stratified layer in the core of Mercury. We assess the conditions of occurrence of this thermally stratified layer and whether the stratified core allows for the formation of a solid inner core and for a dynamo.
- Publication:
-
EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019
- Pub Date:
- September 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019EPSC...13.1646D