How does the mineralogy and major element chemistry of the Earth differ between the crust, mantle and core?
The mineralogy of the inner core is believed to be a single nickel-iron crystal, possibly with sulfur as an anion. The outer core is molten (liquid) and is not a mineral. It (probably) contains the same elements as the inner core. The mantle has an ultramafic composition, with olivine, pyroxene and garnet in the upper mantle, spinel replacing olivine in the middle mantle and perskovite replacing pyroxene in the lower mantle. The major elements are magnesium, iron, calcium, silicon, oxygen and aluminum. The crust is divided into two parts: a mafic oceanic crust and a felsic continental crust. Oceanic crust is mostly calcium plagioclase, olivine, pyroxene and amphibole with the elements magnesium, iron, calcium, silicon, oxygen and aluminum. Continental crust is very diverse and cannot be summarized other than saying it approaches the mineralogy of a grano-diorite. Major elements include silicon, oxygen, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron and aluminum.
chemistry: more Fe Mg in the mantle and core, in the crust much more of Al Sio2
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment