The metal–silicate partitioning of carbon during Earth's accretion and its distribution in the early solar system

Carbon is an essential element for the existence and evolution of life on Earth. Its abundance in Earth's crust mantle (the Bulk Silicate Earth, BSE) surprisingly high given that carbon strongly siderophile (metal-loving) at low pressures temperatures, hence should have segregated almost completely into core during accretion. Estimates concentration BSE lie range 100-260 ppm are much higher than expected based simple models core-mantle differentiation. Here we show through experiments putative conditions formation (49-71 GPa 3600-4000 K) significantly less these ($\leq$13 GPa) temperatures ($\leq$2500 previous large volume press studies, but least order magnitude more proposed recently experimental approach similar to ours. Using our new data along with previously published results, derive a parameterization pressure-temperature dependence metal-silicate partitioning carbon. We apply this model combines planet differentiation astrophysical N-body accretion simulations. Because differentiated planetesimals were depleted due sublimation all was added by fully-oxidized carbonaceous chondrite material from outer solar system. continuously throughout its reaches values within (e.g. 140$\pm$40 ppm) end The corresponding final bulk Earth concentrations 1270$\pm$300 495$\pm$125 respectively.