ACCRETION OF THE EARTH'S CORE AS A SOURCE OF ITS INTERNAL ENERGY AND A FACTOR OF MANTLE REDOX EVOLUTION

Abstract

We consider a model for core growth (5% of the original core accretionary mass) during geological evolution. It is suggested that this process occurred at the expense of FeO dissolution that was supplied to the core boundary by a descending limb of the mantle convection flow. This process could provide heat emission, which would eliminate the imbalance between the observed heat flow and the total energy of radioactive elements. The process also maintains the superadiabatic temperature gradient necessary for convection. Oxygen disproportionation due to FeO dissolution lead to an oxygen influx into the mantle, thereby providing its oxidation evolution.