Fig. 1
From: Iron diapirs entrain silicates to the core and initiate thermochemical plumes
Gravitational instability of an emulsified metal pond. a Schematic of the initial conditions for each experiment (described in Methods). The metal emulsified layer (m) rests at the S1−S2 interface at t o . b Metal diapir and trailing conduit descending from a smooth metal pond. Photo image is cropped to the size of the small black box shown in a. All liquid metal collects quickly and descends in the first large diapir. Conduit material travels down and returns back up through conduit. c Metal diapir and trailing conduit descending from an emulsified metal pond (Experiment 14 at 224 s). Metal droplets descend in two stages. Conduit material travels down through the conduit and also by entrainment around each droplet. Time sequence of photographs (taken from a side view camera in spotlight) at d 149 s, e 159 s, and f 169 s showing the gravitational instability of an emulsified metal pond and formation of an emulsified diapir (Experiment 14). A later photograph of this experiment is shown in c at 224 s
