Speaker

Simon Redfern

Nanyang Technological University

Date＆Time

2021.12.18（Sat）PM 18:00

Location

Tencent Meeting ID：297-364-381

Abstract

Volatile elements - those with low melting or sublimation points - may only occur in very low concentrations in the materials that form planets, but may have significant impacts on the behaviour and physical properties of the major components of planets, including Earth. For example, changes in the CO2 concentration of Earth's atmosphere at the  level of tens or hundreds of parts per million, seeminly insignificant, are now recognised to play a major role in the planetary climate system, leading to global warming. Many of the volatile elements are most obviously seen as components of Earth's oceans and atmospheres, but the solid Earth is so much greater in terms of its volume and mass, that even small amounts of such elements in the deep Earth may represent the overwhelmingly largest reservoir in the planet. For example, although carbon at Earth's surface is of huge importance to life, to climate, and to energy conversion and storage (in terms of photosynthesis), the Earth's core, more than 3000 km below our feet, comprises the largest reservoir of carbon in the planet. Yet we understand very little about the consequences of these "light" and "volatile" elements on the structure, composition, and physical nature of this and other planets. High pressure materials physics provides the tools to explore the intriguing world deep in our planetary interior. Here I will outline some of the ongoing work of our group at NTU Singapore, and point to the opportunities for discovery that high-pressure scientists might exploit in our continued understanding of how planets work.