Thermal Conductivity of Iron and Iron Alloys at Planetary Core Conditions

The thermal conductivity of iron and iron alloys play a key role in determining how telluric planetary cores cool over time. The thermal conductivity of core-forming alloys is needed to establish the heat budget for core and mantle processes. This budget in turn controls the characteristics of core and mantle dynamics, as well as the geologic timescales over which they are active. However, there is little consensus on the effect of composition on the thermal conductivity of iron at conditions relevant to planetary interiors. Here I present the results of recent experimental investigations to understand how the thermal conductivity varies for iron and iron alloys varies at extreme pressures and temperatures, providing quantitative insight into the transport properties of core-forming alloys.