PhD Thesis Student VolTE (m/f) Subject: Volatiles during Terrestrial Evolution (VolTE)

You will join a collaboration between the ESRF (beamlines ID27 and ID15B) and the geodynamics group at the Earth Science Institute (ISTerre) of the University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA), to study the properties of deep Earth’s mantle melts.

The main objective of this project is to determine the mobility of hydrated silicate melts at the bottom of Earth’s lower mantle (~2900 km depth, 120-135 GPa and 2500-3750 K). The presence of such deep hydrous melts over geological times would have important implications for our understanding of planetary interior evolution and geodynamics. To evaluate their existence, information about their structure and density as a function of pressure, temperature, iron and water content is required.

The purpose of this project is to develop an innovative experimental approach based on high-energy time-resolved X-ray diffraction techniques (milli-seconds timescales) to determine this fundamental information. Experiments will be conducted at the state-of-the-art high-pressure X-ray diffraction beamlines ID27 and ID15B of the ESRF, Grenoble (France) using optimized high-pressure high temperature devices (laser-heated diamond anvil cells). Geodynamic modelling will be carried out in collaboration with experts at ISTerre Grenoble (UGA) to evaluate the mobility of volatile-rich deep silicate melts and their effect on large-scale phenomena.

Further information may be obtained from Angelika Rosa (tel: +33 (0)4 38 88 19 75, email: arosa@esrf.fr)  or Guillaume Morard (tel.: +33 (0)4 76 63 52 21, email: guillaume.morard@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr).