2002/04/18 by Gerd Steinle‐Neumann, Gerd Steinle-Neumann, Lars Stixrude +4 · 9 citations
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Materials Characterization Techniques #Composite material #Core (optical fiber) #FOS: Physical sciences #Geology #Geophysics #Geophysics (physics.geo-ph) #Inner core #Materials science #Metallurgical Processes and Thermodynamics #physics.geo-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.physics/0204055
published in arXiv (Cornell University) (Cornell University) · 23 pages, 16 figures. To appear in AGU Geodynamics Series book on "Core structure, dynamics, and rotation", V. Dehant et al. (eds.)
arxiv created 2002/04/18 · openalex publication_date 2002/04/18 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
The Earth's inner core plays a vital role in the dynamics of our planet and is itself strongly exposed to dynamic processes as evidenced by a complex pattern of elastic structure. To gain deeper insight into the nature of these processes we rely on a characterization of the physical properties of the inner core which are governed by the material physics of its main constituent, iron. Here we review recent research on structure and dynamics of the inner core, focusing on advances in mineral physics. We will discuss results on core composition, crystalline structure, temperature,and various aspects of elasticity. Based on recent computational results, we will show that aggregate seismic properties of the inner core can be explained by temperature and compression effects on the elasticity of pure iron, and use single crystal anisotropy to develop a speculative textural model of the inner core that can explain major aspects of inner core anisotropy.