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Uncertainties in the composition of Earth, its core and silicate sphere

William F McDonough1 and Ricardo Arevalo Jr1

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A self consistent model for the Earth has the heat producing elements, K, Th and U concentrated in the silicate Earth, with negligible quantities stored in the core. With uncertainties reported at the 2 sigma level, the silicate Earth has 80 ± 25 ng/g Th and 20 ± 8 ng/g U, with a Th/U of 3.9 ± 0.4; it also has a K/U of 1.38 ± 0.26* 104 and a K content of 280 ± 120 μg/g. Thus, the radiogenic contribution to the Earth's thermal power is 21 ± 4 TW relative to a total output of 46 ± 6 TW.


PACS

91.35.Lj Composition of Earth's interior

91.67.Qr Radiogenic isotope geochemistry

91.35.Ed Structure of the Earth's interior below the upper mantle

Subjects

Environmental and Earth science

Dates

Issue 2 (2008)



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