Nickel isotopic evidence for late-stage accretion of Mercury-like differentiated planetary embryos

Shui-Jiong Wang; Wenzhong Wang; Jian-Ming Zhu; Zhongqing Wu; Jingao Liu; Guilin Han; Fang-Zhen Teng; Shichun Huang; Hongjie Wu; Yujian Wang; Guangliang Wu; Weihan Li

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-20525-1

Nature Communications (Jan 2021)

Nickel isotopic evidence for late-stage accretion of Mercury-like differentiated planetary embryos

Shui-Jiong Wang,
Wenzhong Wang,
Jian-Ming Zhu,
Zhongqing Wu,
Jingao Liu,
Guilin Han,
Fang-Zhen Teng,
Shichun Huang,
Hongjie Wu,
Yujian Wang,
Guangliang Wu,
Weihan Li

Affiliations

Shui-Jiong Wang: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Minerals Resources, China University of Geosciences
Wenzhong Wang: Laboratory of Seismology and Physics of Earth’s Interior, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China
Jian-Ming Zhu: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Minerals Resources, China University of Geosciences
Zhongqing Wu: Laboratory of Seismology and Physics of Earth’s Interior, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China
Jingao Liu: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Minerals Resources, China University of Geosciences
Guilin Han: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Minerals Resources, China University of Geosciences
Fang-Zhen Teng: Isotope Laboratory, Department of Earth and Space Science, University of Washington
Shichun Huang: Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada
Hongjie Wu: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Minerals Resources, China University of Geosciences
Yujian Wang: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Minerals Resources, China University of Geosciences
Guangliang Wu: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Minerals Resources, China University of Geosciences
Weihan Li: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Minerals Resources, China University of Geosciences

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20525-1
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Based on Nickel isotope analysis of meteorites and terrestrial rocks, the authors suggest that the Bulk Silicate Earth has a sub-chondritic Nickel isotope composition. This signature is thought to result from the impact and accretion of a Mercury-like impactor which originated from the innermost Solar System.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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