The high-pressure phase relation of the MgSO₄-H₂O system and its implication for the internal structure of Ganymede

We have determined the phase relation of the MgSO₄-H₂O binary system using an externally heated diamond anvil cell in the compositional range of 0-30 wt.% MgSO₄, and under temperature and pressure conditions from 298 to 500K and up to 4.5GPa. Using our experimental results, we were able to estimate the composition of the ice mantle of the large icy satellites of Jupiter, such as Ganymede.In our experiments, we identified the following phases in the MgSO₄-H₂O system up to 4GPa at 298K: Ices VI and VII, magnesium heptahydrate, MgSO₄·7H₂O, and a liquid phase. The present phase relations suggest that there may be a deep internal ocean down to a depth about 800km in the interior of Ganymede.