Dresden 2017 – scientific programme

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DY: Fachverband Dynamik und Statistische Physik

DY 57: Posters - Turbulence

DY 57.6: Poster

Thursday, March 23, 2017, 17:00–19:30, P1A

The effect of planetary rotation on early Earth differentiation — •Christian Maas and Ulrich Hansen — Institute for Geophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany

Most geophysical systems, e.g. atmospheres and planetary interiors, are crucially influenced by planetary rotation. One of the few systems where it is reasonable to exclude rotation as well as inertia is today's Earth mantle due to its high viscosity. However, during the early evolution of the Earth the mantle was probably largely affected by rotation. About 4.5 billion years ago the proto-Earth was hit by a mars-sized impactor, which led to extensive melting of the early mantle. After the impact the planet was covered by a global layer of molten mantle material with a thickness of about 1000-3000 km. This molten layer is called magma ocean. It is characterized by turbulent convection, high temperatures and pressures and a small magma viscosity. The existence of such a magma ocean is of key importance for the differentiation and chemical evolution of the Earth. It sets the initial conditions for plate tectonics and the habitability on Earth.

After the impact the magma ocean cools and starts to crystallize. Due to asmall magma viscosity and rotation periods of 2-5 h, rotation probably had a profound effect on this crystallization.

With numerical experiments we study the dynamics of crystal settling in a vigorously convecting and strongly rotating magma ocean to gain insight into the influence of planetary rotation on magma ocean crystallization.