Fig. 6: Modelling of homogeneous accretion & multi-stage core formation (model S1).

The delivery of water and carbon to the Earth is considered from the beginning (a) and only after 50% accretion (b). The coloured region in the left panels indicates H2O and C concentrations in impactors, explaining the BSE abundances of 710–1760 ppm H2O and 120–220 ppm C in addition to the core mass fraction and the mantle FeO, Ni and Co contents (colour indicates the deviation from target values). Those in the central panels show the corresponding H and C contents in the core, which are compared with H and C concentrations required to explain the outer core density deficit when TICB = 5400 K (green curve) and 4800 K (right blue curve) (see text). The H2O and C abundances in impactors (=Earth building blocks) are compared to those in non-carbonaceous (red region) and carbonaceous chondrites (blue region) in the right panels.