To evaluate the magnitude of radiative thermal conductivity in planetary interiors, it is necessary to measure the high‐temperature absorption coefficient and refractive index of relevant minerals in the appropriate spectral region. We have made near‐infrared measurements on samples of olivine, diopside, and oligoclase at temperatures up to 1723°K. The results of our studies show continuous broadening of the vibrational and electronic bands involved, with a consequent substantial increase in mineral opacity in a spectral region that is effectively a window for room‐temperature samples. This opacity significantly decreases the magnitude of radiative thermal conductivity from what one would predict from room‐temperature spectra.
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