title: Raman spectroscopy of iron to 152 gigapascals: implications for Earth's inner core
abstract: Raman spectra of hexagonal close-packed iron (varepsilon-Fe) have been measured from 15 to 152 gigapascals by using diamond-anvil cells with ultrapure synthetic diamond anvils. The results give a Gruneisen parameter gamma(0) = 1.68 (+/-0.20) and q = 0.7 (+/-0.5). Phenomenological modeling shows that the Raman-active mode can be approximately correlated with an acoustic phonon and thus provides direct information about the high-pressure elastic properties of iron, which have been controversial. In particular, the C(44) elastic modulus is found to be lower than previous determinations. This leads to changes of about 35% at core pressures for shear wave anisotropies.
authors.affiliation: Geophysical Laboratory and Center for High Pressure Research, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5251 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA. Laboratoire des Sciences de la Terre, UMR CNRS 5570, Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon,
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merkel
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Goncharov
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gillet
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hemley