Nature Communications (Feb 2022)
Inner core composition paradox revealed by sound velocities of Fe and Fe-Si alloy
Abstract
The origin of the observed low shear wave velocity in the solid inner core is unclear. Here, the authors report shear wave velocities of iron and iron-silicon alloy under Earth’s core conditions by shock compression and find that neither the effect of temperature nor incorporation of Si can explain observed low shear wave velocity in the inner core.