X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy study of local structural changes in ionic aqueous solutions under high pressure and high temperature

Experimental data regarding the relationship between density and temperature and the local structural changes in the ion hydration environment in diluted aqueous solutions has long been desired. Such an information is essential for understanding possible transformations between octahedral and more complex hydration configurations occurring in the liquid and in salty ice phases. We propose to investigate the local structural changes in aqueous solutions of representative 3d metal elements (Fe and Cu) up to 15 GPa and 1000 K, using EXAFS refinement. We aim to obtain reliable quantitative data that is necessary for further understanding about the salt-water phase diagrams including the eutectic melting point depression as a function of pressure. The proposed research will have strong interdisciplinary implications on the understanding of fundamental processes which involve salty water under extreme conditions in astrophysics and applied geophysics.