What question did this study set out to answer?

Determine whether noble gas retention in high-pressure silicate minerals relies on stable chemical bonding or kinetic trapping mechanisms.

August 14, 2026Science AdvancesOpen Access

Retention of noble gases in the deep Earth: Kinetic trapping or stable bonding?

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Authors

SFSarah Figowy RCRazvan Caracas GAGuillaume Avice

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Overview

Computational chemical modeling reveals kinetic trapping governs noble gas retention in deep silicates, indicating preferential residence in melts and grain boundaries.

Key Points

Determine whether noble gas retention in high-pressure silicate minerals relies on stable chemical bonding or kinetic trapping mechanisms.
Assessed the chemical behavior of noble gases in three silicate phases: quartz, seifertite, and perovskite.
Analyzed electronic structure and charge distribution using the electron localization function and Bader charge analysis.
No evidence of stable covalent or ionic bonding between noble gases and silicate crystal structures was observed.
Very slow intracrystalline diffusion rates govern the kinetic trapping of heavy noble gases during crystal growth, favoring retention in melts and grain boundaries rather than crystal lattices.

Cite This Study

Figowy et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7ec79cb70b84ec8b91419a https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aee3254

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August 14, 2026Science AdvancesOpen Access

Retention of noble gases in the deep Earth: Kinetic trapping or stable bonding?

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

SFSarah Figowy RCRazvan Caracas GAGuillaume Avice

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Computational chemical modeling reveals kinetic trapping governs noble gas retention in deep silicates, indicating preferential residence in melts and grain boundaries.

Key Points

Determine whether noble gas retention in high-pressure silicate minerals relies on stable chemical bonding or kinetic trapping mechanisms.
Assessed the chemical behavior of noble gases in three silicate phases: quartz, seifertite, and perovskite.
Analyzed electronic structure and charge distribution using the electron localization function and Bader charge analysis.
No evidence of stable covalent or ionic bonding between noble gases and silicate crystal structures was observed.
Very slow intracrystalline diffusion rates govern the kinetic trapping of heavy noble gases during crystal growth, favoring retention in melts and grain boundaries rather than crystal lattices.

Cite This Study

Figowy et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7ec79cb70b84ec8b91419a https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aee3254

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