| Abstract: | Very high temperatures (>2000 K) at megabar presures (∼100 GPa) can be achieved by classic shock compression experiments and in laser-heated diamond cells, which have evolved to a formidable tool for accurately characterizing material properties at controlled pressure and temperature conditions of the Earth's lower mantle and core. The diamond cell has great potential for future development and broad application but due to the small sample dimensions there are strict experimental requirements for obtaining reliable data, some of which are described in the present paper. Results for measuring melting temperatures of iron at very high pressure, which constrain the temperature in the Earth's centre, are reviewed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
