A Modern procedure of diamond formation hasbeen theorizedthat could indicate they are more plentiful than thought . It involves the acidification of water at great depths , producing minuscular diamonds in subsurface fluid that can be bring to the surface .
Diamonds arethought to formthrough redox reactions – reduction or oxidation , bear on to the gain or loss of atomic number 8 – at extremely in high spirits pressures and temperature in Earth ’s mantle , or through a diminution of carbon dioxide . The diamonds are subsequently brought to the surface through volcanic activity , often within an igneous rock calledkimberlite . The redox chemical reaction process , though , is poorly sympathize .
Dimitri Sverjensky from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore , Maryland , has suggest a new theory inNature Communicationsthat would occur alongside – and singly – to the be theory . He allege that a free fall in pH to more acidic levels in water - rock interactions deeply in the Earth can lead to the constitution of extremely little diamonds just thousandths of a centimeter across in size .
“ I ’ve been acquire a new way to modelling ion in high pressures , and we can now talk about pH as a real variable quantity , ” he tell IFLScience . “ It turns out diamond can be formed by a drop-off in pH , with the redox res publica being kept constant . ”
Although Sverjensky is yet to find direct evidence for his possibility , he says the reasoning is intelligent . Essentially , at depths of 100 to 200 kilometers ( 60 to 120 miles ) , the pH levels of water can be altered by the removal of hydrogen ions when it moves between rocks . As this occur , diamonds can form within the fluid at extremely gamey pressing and temperature due to the acidification , rather than redox reactions . These diamonds would still be make for to the control surface in kimberlite , but it does hint at a novel method acting of formation via a variety in water chemistry alone .
essay the method acting is straight is unmanageable , though . It ’s not really potential to front at existing diamonds to find out which particular mechanism caused them to form , but studying flyspeck packets of fluid within diamond immobilise from the time they take shape could furnish a cue .
Does this mean there could be a greater bit of diamonds hide within the Earth ? “ I cerebrate this is reproducible with that suggestion , ” said Sverjensky . “ There are meter reading of diamonds being found in increasingly dissimilar rocky types over the last 30 years , so it seems like they ’re not as rarified as we might have thought before . ”
