How does the process of Crustal Sequestration account for retaining volatiles despite the high heat required for Mercury's core differentiation?
Answer
Volatiles partitioned into a magma ocean and were sealed beneath rapidly solidified, low-volatile surface layers.
Crustal Sequestration is a mechanism that shields volatiles from escaping into space even while massive internal heating and differentiation are occurring, such as melting required for the large iron core. During this energetic phase, volatiles might dissolve into a vast magma ocean. As the surface cools and solidifies quickly, it forms a crust composed of hotter, more refractory melts. This newly formed, denser surface layer effectively traps the volatile-rich melts beneath it, sequestering the original volatile budget deep within the mantle or deep crust, allowing the surface appearance to seem depleted.
Related Questions
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