posted by Suzie Chhouk
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Say hello to bridgmanite. Scientist were finally able to put a name to the mineral that makes up roughly 38% of Earth's volume -- deep in the Earth's mantle. It's named in honor of Percy Bridgman, a scientist who won the 1946 Nobel Prize in Physics. Bridgman pioneered techniques that allowed scientists to synthesize and analyze minerals at pressures similar to those experienced deep within our planet.
Click to read more excerpts from the IFLScience article.
Click to read more excerpts from the IFLScience article.
The following is an excerpt from an article posted on IFLScience.
"Although scientists don’t know a great deal about the lower mantle, it’s thought to be largely composed of a super-dense version of magnesium iron silicate. Until now, this mineral has been nameless because scientists couldn't find a natural sample, and the International Mineralogical Association requires that a mineral can only be named after it has been analyzed in its natural state. The reason it has been so difficult to find is that, while it makes up some 38% of Earth’s entire volume, it is extremely rare at the Earth’s surface, and it’s only typically stable at pressures found more than 670 kilometers below the surface.
"Scientists were finally able to get their mitts on a natural sample thanks to an asteroid collision that took place hundreds of millions of years ago. The event created a meteorite that slammed into Australia in 1879. This meteorite was subjected to temperatures of around 2100 degrees Celsius (3632 degrees Fahrenheit) and pressures of 24 gigapascals, which are similar to the conditions experienced deep inside our planet. After thoroughly examining the specimen, the researchers discovered microscopic pieces of the mineral buried in the meteorite’s veins.
"Alongside allowing scientists to finally give the mineral a name, its discovery is important because it should help further our knowledge of the region of Earth that it is found in. By analyzing the elements that fit into its crystal structure, scientists should be able to improve existing models on how the lower mantle behaves."
Citation: O. Tschauner, C. Ma, J. R. Beckett, C. Prescher, V. B. Prakapenka, G. R. Rossman. "Discovery of bridgmanite, the most abundant mineral in Earth, in a shocked meteorite." Science, 28 Nov. 2014: 346 (6213), 1100-1102. [DOI:10.1126/science.1259369]
"Although scientists don’t know a great deal about the lower mantle, it’s thought to be largely composed of a super-dense version of magnesium iron silicate. Until now, this mineral has been nameless because scientists couldn't find a natural sample, and the International Mineralogical Association requires that a mineral can only be named after it has been analyzed in its natural state. The reason it has been so difficult to find is that, while it makes up some 38% of Earth’s entire volume, it is extremely rare at the Earth’s surface, and it’s only typically stable at pressures found more than 670 kilometers below the surface.
"Scientists were finally able to get their mitts on a natural sample thanks to an asteroid collision that took place hundreds of millions of years ago. The event created a meteorite that slammed into Australia in 1879. This meteorite was subjected to temperatures of around 2100 degrees Celsius (3632 degrees Fahrenheit) and pressures of 24 gigapascals, which are similar to the conditions experienced deep inside our planet. After thoroughly examining the specimen, the researchers discovered microscopic pieces of the mineral buried in the meteorite’s veins.
"Alongside allowing scientists to finally give the mineral a name, its discovery is important because it should help further our knowledge of the region of Earth that it is found in. By analyzing the elements that fit into its crystal structure, scientists should be able to improve existing models on how the lower mantle behaves."
Citation: O. Tschauner, C. Ma, J. R. Beckett, C. Prescher, V. B. Prakapenka, G. R. Rossman. "Discovery of bridgmanite, the most abundant mineral in Earth, in a shocked meteorite." Science, 28 Nov. 2014: 346 (6213), 1100-1102. [DOI:10.1126/science.1259369]