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Wadsleyite can store significant amounts of H2O in its crystal structure as hydroxyl. However, H2O solubility in Fe‐bearing wadsleyite remains poorly constrained at mantle transition zone temperatures. Previous studies (e.g., Demouchy et al., 2005 [https://doi.org/10.2138/am.2005.1751]; Litasov et al., 2011 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00269-010-0382-3]) focused primarily on Fe‐free systems, which do not represent the Earth's interior because Fe may affect the H2O solubility. Here, we investigated the temperature dependence of H2O solubility in Fe‐bearing and Fe‐free wadsleyite at 1500–2100 K. The results indicate that H2O solubility in Fe‐bearing wadsleyite is higher than in Fe‐free samples at 1800–1900 K, corresponding to transition zone geotherm, but there is no clear Fe content dependence in the Fe‐bearing samples. Wadsleyite can contain approximately 1.0 wt.% H2O at transition zone temperatures. The H2O solubility in wadsleyite is lower than ringwoodite along a plume geotherm, which may result in dehydration melting at the 520‐km discontinuity by upwelling flow in plumes. Plain Language Summary: The mantle transition zone at 410–660 km depth is a H2O sponge because wadsleyite and ringwoodite can contain large amounts of H2O in their crystal structures as hydroxyl defects. However, the solubility of H2O in Fe‐bearing wadsleyite is poorly constrained compared with ringwoodite and Fe‐free wadsleyite, which have been extensively investigated. The exact H2O storage capacity of the mantle transition zone, therefore, remains unknown. Here, we investigated the solubility of H2O in Fe‐bearing wadsleyite as a function of temperature. The results indicate that wadsleyite can store ∼1.0 wt.% H2O at transition zone temperatures and ∼0.65 wt.% along a plume geotherm. H2O solubility in wadsleyite is lower than that in ringwoodite in mantle plumes. A dehydration melting layer at the 520‐km discontinuity near plumes can, therefore, form via the phase transition from ringwoodite to wadsleyite under H2O‐saturated conditions driven by upwelling flow in mantle plumes. Key Points: H2O solubility in Fe‐bearing wadsleyite decreases with increasing temperatureFe‐bearing wadsleyite can contain ∼1.0 wt.% H2O at mantle transition zone temperatureDehydration melting could occur at the 520‐km discontinuity by upwelling flow near plumes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) measurements have been performed on an MgO single crystal in order to evaluate IXS as a methodology for accurate and precise determination of elastic constants and sound velocities. By performing the IXS experiment using a 12-analyzer array, the complete set of single-crystal elastic constants of MgO were determined to a precision better than 0.8% (sound velocities to better than 0.2%). The results are consistent with values in the literature. The precision and accuracy of this work, which is significantly better than other published work to date, demonstrates the potential of IXS in determining elastic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of stishovite in transporting water in subducting slabs has been a subject of debate for several decades. Here we investigated stishovite's water solubility and its potential role in water transportation as a function of temperature from 1300 to 2100°C at 22 GPa. Under water‐saturated conditions, high‐quality, Al‐free stishovite single crystals were synthesized with multi‐anvil press, and their water contents were measured using infrared spectroscopy. The H2O solubility in stishovite increases from 128(20) to 521(47) wt. ppm with increasing temperature from 1300 to 1700°C and decreased to 145(26) wt. ppm at 2100°C. The maximum H2O content was about seven times larger than earlier high‐temperature multi‐anvil studies but significantly lower than recent laser‐heated diamond anvil cell and low‐temperature multi‐anvil studies. We suggest that Al‐free stishovite may not be a significant H2O carrier in subducting slabs, at least at the topmost lower mantle corresponding to our experimental conditions. Plain Language Summary: Stishovite is a high‐pressure phase of silicon dioxide (SiO2). It was recently reported that stishovite could contain a substantial amount of water based on diamond anvil cell experiments and, consequently, transport water into the lower mantle through subducting slabs. However, the water contents in their samples lack precise constrain due to the limited size of the recovered crystals, making them inaccessible for measurements using reliable FTIR spectroscopy or secondary‐ion mass spectroscopy. To settle this debate, we produced high‐quality single crystals of stishovite under water‐saturated conditions at high pressures and temperatures and measured their water contents using infrared spectroscopy. We discovered that stishovite contained only several hundred ppm of water under conditions at the top of the lower mantle. Therefore, it is likely that stishovite does not contain much water in the upper region of the lower mantle and does not transport water into the deep lower mantle. Key Points: H2O content in Al‐free stishovite increases with temperature up to 1700°C and decreases beyond this temperatureThe maximum H2O content in Al‐free stishovite at 22 GPa is 521 (47) wt. ppmAl‐free stishovite cannot be the major H2O carrier at least up to the uppermost lower mantle conditions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As evidenced by isotope geochemistry, the persistence of primitive reservoirs indicates that the earth's lower mantle is likely to be heterogeneous. Such heterogeneity could be a legacy from magma‐ocean (MO) solidification. The viscosity of MO is a key parameter to constrain the solidification type of MO. Here we directly measure the viscosity of peridotite (an analog of MO composition) melt at the pressure‐temperature conditions of the deep mantle, using the in situ falling sphere method. The viscosity of peridotite melt along liquidus is in the range of 38–17 mPa s at pressures from 7 to 25 GPa, which is 0.9–0.4 times of the estimation based on the viscosity of endmember compositions. Low viscosity favors fractional solidification and chemically layering of the early mantle at least to the top lower mantle, which could be a source of heterogeneity for the present mantle. Plain Language Summary: The earth experiences a large‐scale melting and forms a deep magma ocean in its early history. The viscosity of peridotite melt is a key parameter for understanding the solidification type of magma ocean, which leads to the primitive mantle structure. This study directly measured the viscosity of peridotite melt to deep mantle conditions and revealed that peridotite melt has a lower value of viscosity than expected. The low viscosity of peridotite melt suggests a fractional solidification of the magma ocean, which supports a heterogeneous primitive mantle. Key Points: The viscosity of peridotite melt has been measured down to lower‐mantle conditions by in situ falling sphere viscometryPeridotite melt has a lower viscosity than expected from the viscosity of the endmembersThe low viscosity of peridotite melt suggests a fractional solidification in the magma ocean, supporting a heterogeneous primitive mantle [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As evidenced by isotope geochemistry, the persistence of primitive reservoirs indicates that the earth's lower mantle is likely to be heterogeneous. Such heterogeneity could be a legacy from magma‐ocean (MO) solidification. The viscosity of MO is a key parameter to constrain the solidification type of MO. Here we directly measure the viscosity of peridotite (an analog of MO composition) melt at the pressure‐temperature conditions of the deep mantle, using the in situ falling sphere method. The viscosity of peridotite melt along liquidus is in the range of 38–17 mPa s at pressures from 7 to 25 GPa, which is 0.9–0.4 times of the estimation based on the viscosity of endmember compositions. Low viscosity favors fractional solidification and chemically layering of the early mantle at least to the top lower mantle, which could be a source of heterogeneity for the present mantle. Plain Language Summary: The earth experiences a large‐scale melting and forms a deep magma ocean in its early history. The viscosity of peridotite melt is a key parameter for understanding the solidification type of magma ocean, which leads to the primitive mantle structure. This study directly measured the viscosity of peridotite melt to deep mantle conditions and revealed that peridotite melt has a lower value of viscosity than expected. The low viscosity of peridotite melt suggests a fractional solidification of the magma ocean, which supports a heterogeneous primitive mantle. Key Points: The viscosity of peridotite melt has been measured down to lower‐mantle conditions by in situ falling sphere viscometryPeridotite melt has a lower viscosity than expected from the viscosity of the endmembersThe low viscosity of peridotite melt suggests a fractional solidification in the magma ocean, supporting a heterogeneous primitive mantle [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐temperature ionic conductivity in olivine single crystals has been measured in the [100], [010], and [001] crystallographic orientations as a function of pressure from 2 to 10 GPa, temperature from 1450 to 2180 K, and H2O content from 20 to 580 wt. ppm using multianvil presses with in situ impedance analyses. The experimental results yield an activation energy, activation volume, and H2O content exponent of 250–405 kJ/mol, 3.2–5.3 cm3/mol, and 1.3 ± 0.2, respectively, for the high‐temperature ionic conduction regime. Olivine ionic conductivity has negative pressure and positive temperature dependences and is significantly enhanced by H2O incorporation. The [001] direction is more conductive than the [100] and [010] directions. The H2O‐enhanced ionic conductivity may contribute significantly to the electrical conductivity profile in the asthenosphere, especially in the regions under relatively high‐temperature and low‐pressure conditions. Key Points: Pressure, temperature, and water content dependences of olivine ionic conductivity are obtainedOlivine ionic conductivity is dramatically enhanced by water incorporationOlivine ionic conductivity may contribute significantly to the bulk conductivity of olivine in the asthenosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase relations in the MgSiO3–MgAl2O4–Al2O3 system are investigated at 27 GPa and 2000–2600 K using a multi‐anvil apparatus. The AlAlO3 content in the bridgmanite increases from 8.6 to 20.0 mol% with increasing temperature from 2000 to 2600 K, while the MgAlO2.5 content remains nearly constant, that is, 3–4 mol% at these temperatures. Therefore, the presence of an additional Al‐bearing phase suppresses the oxygen vacancy substitution for Al3+ in bridgmanite. Conversely, significant amounts of the Al8/3O4 component can be dissolved into the calcium‐ferrite type MgAl2O4–Mg2SiO4–Al8/3O4 phase (CF‐phase), implying that the CF‐phase likely contains some amount of vacancies. Therefore, the CF‐phase could also be a candidate mineral for transporting volatiles into the lower mantle. Our results, combined with previous studies on Al‐bearing bridgmanite, indicate that, once the Al per formula unit exceeds 0.12 in bridgmanite, the MgAlO2.5 content remains nearly constant and the AlAlO3 component becomes dominant. Plain Language Summary: Bridgmanite, the most abundant mineral in the Earth's mantle, can contain Al3+ in the forms of MgAlO2.5 and AlAlO3. To constrain the substitution mechanism of Al3+ in bridgmanite, we investigate the MgAlO2.5 and AlAlO3 contents in bridgmanite coexisting with a calcium‐ferrite type phase and corundum at different temperatures. Our results demonstrate that the MgAlO2.5 content reaches saturation (3–4 mol%) when an additional Al‐bearing phase exists in the system. Key Points: The MgAlO2.5 content in bridgmanite remains constant with temperature when bridgmanite coexists with corundum and the CF‐phaseThe MgAlO2.5 content in bridgmanite reaches a solubility of 3–4 mol% when bridgmanite coexists with an additional Al‐bearing phaseA significant amount of the Al8/3O4 component can be dissolved into the CF‐phase [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penetrating, high‐energy synchrotron X‐rays are in strong demand, particularly for high‐pressure research in physics, chemistry and geosciences, and for materials engineering research under less extreme conditions. A new high‐energy wiggler beamline P61 has been constructed to meet this need at PETRA III in Hamburg, Germany. The first part of the paper offers an overview of the beamline front‐end components and beam characteristics. The second part describes the performance of the instrumentation and the latest developments at the P61B endstation. Particular attention is given to the unprecedented high‐energy photon flux delivered by the ten wigglers of the PETRA III storage ring and the challenges faced in harnessing this amount of flux and heat load in the beam. Furthermore, the distinctiveness of the world's first six‐ram Hall‐type large‐volume press, Aster‐15, at a synchrotron facility is described for research with synchrotron X‐rays. Additionally, detection schemes, experimental strategies and preliminary data acquired using energy‐dispersive X‐ray diffraction and radiography techniques are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the H2O‐content dependence of Si self‐diffusion coefficient in Fe‐free wadsleyite using multi‐anvil experiments at pressures of 19–20 GPa, temperatures of 1573–1873 K, and H2O‐content ranging from ∼10 to 5,300 wt. ppm by the isotopic thin‐film diffusion‐couple method. The 29Si‐doped diffusion profiles were measured by nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry in the depth profiling mode. The H2O contents in the samples were analyzed by Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy. The experimental results show a H2O enhancement of Si diffusion coefficient with a H2O content exponent of 0.8 ± 0.1. The activation enthalpy was found to be 270 ± 40 kJ/mol. The diffusion coefficients in the [100], [010], and [001] directions are indistinguishable. The temperature and H2O‐content dependences of Si diffusion indicate that H2O incorporation dramatically reduces the rheological strength of wadsleyite, whereas temperature has a relatively small effect. The viscosity in the mantle transition zone could be significantly reduced by H2O incorporation in wadsleyite. The viscosity contrast between mantle plumes and surroundings may control the evolution of plume shapes at 410–660 km depths. Plain Language Summary: Water incorporation in nominally anhydrous minerals may dramatically affect their physical and chemical properties by introducing additional point defects as hydroxyl in the crystal structures. In particular, the atomic diffusivity in minerals, which is controlled by the concentrations of point defects, could be enhanced, therefore, the diffusion‐controlled properties such as rheology could be affected by water incorporation. Because the mantle transition zone is considered to be water‐rich, we investigated the effect of water on silicon self‐diffusion rate in wadsleyite, which is the dominant mineral in the upper part of mantle transition zone at 410–520 km depth. The experimental results show that water‐rich (1.0 wt.% H2O) wadsleyite is rheologically more than 2.4 orders of magnitude weaker than water‐poor (less than 10 wt. ppm) conditions. Therefore, the mantle transition zone is significantly weakened by water incorporation. The viscosity contrast between plumes and surrounding mantle may control the evolution of plume shapes at mantle transition zone depths. Key Points: Silicon self‐diffusion in wadsleyite is enhanced by water incorporation with an exponent of 0.8 ± 0.1Silicon self‐diffusion in wadsleyite is nearly isotropic, and has an activation energy of 270 ± 40 kJ/molViscosity contrast between plume and surrounding mantle is controlled by water and temperature, which may affect the plume shape evolution [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bridgmanite may contain a large proportion of ferric iron in its crystal structure in the forms of FeFeO3 and MgFeO2.5 components. We investigated the pressure dependence of FeFeO3 and MgFeO2.5 contents in bridgmanite coexisting with MgFe2O4‐phase and with or without ferropericlase in the MgO‐SiO2‐Fe2O3 ternary system at 2,300 K, 33 and 40 GPa. Together with the experiments at 27 GPa reported in Fei et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086296), our results show that the FeFeO3 and MgFeO2.5 contents in bridgmanite decrease from 7.6 to 5.3 mol % and from 2 to 3 mol % to nearly zero, respectively, with increasing pressure from 27 to 40 GPa. Accordingly, the total Fe3+ decreases from 0.18 to 0.11 pfu. The formation of oxygen vacancies (MgFeO2.5 component) in bridgmanite is therefore dramatically suppressed by pressure. Oxygen vacancies can be produced by ferric iron in Fe3+‐rich bridgmanite under the topmost lower mantle conditions, but the concentration should decrease rapidly with increasing pressure. The variation of oxygen‐vacancy content with depth may potentially affect the physical properties of bridgmanite and thus affect mantle dynamics. Plain Language Summary: Bridgmanite is the most abundant mineral in the Earth's lower mantle. Although its basic chemical formula is MgSiO3, large amounts of Fe3+ can be added in the following two ways: (1) Two Fe3+ replace Mg2+ and Si4+ and form the FeFeO3 component. This is called charge‐coupled substitution because the overall charge does not change. (2) One Fe3+ replaces one Si4+ and forms the MgFeO2.5 component. Here the loss of positive charge is compensated by a loss of oxygen and is therefore called oxygen‐vacancy substitution. In this study, we measured the effect of pressure on the abundance of these two components of bridgmanite. We found that the MgFeO2.5 content decreases greatly with increasing pressure. Some oxygen sites may therefore be vacant in bridgmanite at the top of lower mantle, but the concentration of oxygen vacancies should decrease rapidly in deeper regions. The decrease of oxygen‐vacancy concentration in bridgmanite will change the nature of the lower mantle, for example, rocks will become harder, and electrical conductivity will decrease with increasing depth. Key Points: MgFeO2.5, FeFeO3, and total Fe3+ contents in bridgmanite decrease with increasing pressureFe3+‐linked oxygen vacancies in bridgmanite are destabilized by increasing pressureMgFeO2.5 can be formed in Fe3+‐rich bridgmanite under the topmost lower mantle conditions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferric iron can be incorporated into the crystal structure of bridgmanite by either oxygen vacancy substitution (MgFeO2.5 component) or charge‐coupled substitution (FeFeO3 component) mechanisms. We investigated the concentrations of MgFeO2.5 and FeFeO3 in bridgmanite in the MgO‐SiO2‐Fe2O3 system at 27 GPa and 1700–2300 K using a multianvil apparatus. The FeFeO3 content increases from 1.6 to 7.6 mol.% and from 5.7 to 17.9 mol.% with and without coexistence of (Mg,Fe)O, respectively, with increasing temperature from 1700 to 2300 K. In contrast, the MgFeO2.5 content does not show clear temperature dependence, that is, ~2–3 and < 2 mol.% with and without the coexistence of (Mg,Fe)O, respectively. Therefore, the presence of (Mg,Fe)O enhances the oxygen vacancy substitution for Fe3+ in bridgmanite. It is predicted that Fe3+ is predominantly substituted following the oxygen vacancy mechanism in (Mg,Fe)O‐saturated Al‐free bridgmanite when Fe3+ is below ~0.025 pfu, whereas the charge‐coupled mechanism occurs when Fe3+ > 0.025 pfu. Plain Language Summary: Bridgmanite, the most abundant mineral of the Earth's lower mantle, can contain Fe3+ although the valance of iron is 2+ in general. An important question is how Fe3+ is substituted in the crystal structure of bridgmanite. It may form the MgFeO2.5 component, in which oxygen anions are partly missing. Or it may form the FeFeO3 component, which has no missing cations or anions. Since bridgmanite is present in the lower mantle together with (Mg,Fe)O, we investigated the MgFeO2.5 and FeFeO3 contents in Al‐free bridgmanite that coexists with and without (Mg,Fe)O under the topmost lower mantle conditions. The results show that the presence of (Mg,Fe)O enhances the formation of MgFeO2.5. The solubility of MgFeO2.5 component is about 2.5 mol.% in bridgmanite that coexists with (Mg,Fe)O, whereas it is nearly zero when (Mg,Fe)O is absent. Key Points: The presence of (Mg,Fe)O enhances the formation of the MgFeO2.5 component in Al‐free bridgmaniteFe3+ substitution predominantly follows the oxygen vacancy mechanism in (Mg,Fe)O‐saturated Al‐free bridgmanite when Fe3+ content is lowThe solubility of the MgFeO2.5 component in Al‐free bridgmanite is about 0.025 pfu, and relatively insensitive to temperature [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first oxynitride of tin, Sn2N2O (SNO), exhibiting a Rh2S3‐type crystal structure with space group Pbcn. All Sn atoms are in six‐fold coordination, in contrast to Si in silicon oxynitride (Si2N2O) and Ge in the isostructural germanium oxynitride (Ge2N2O), which appear in four‐fold coordination. SNO was synthesized at 20 GPa and 1200–1500 °C in a large volume press. The recovered samples were characterized by synchrotron powder X‐ray diffraction and single‐crystal electron diffraction in the TEM using the automated diffraction tomography (ADT) technique. The isothermal bulk modulus was determined as Bo=193(5) GPa by using in‐situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell. The structure model is supported by DFT calculations. The enthalpy of formation, the bulk modulus, and the band structure have been calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the stability and solubility of the FeAlO3 component in bridgmanite based on phase relations in the system MgSiO3‐FeAlO3 at 27 GPa and 2000 K using a multi‐anvil apparatus combined with in situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction measurements. The results demonstrate that the FeAlO3 component dominates Fe3+ and Al3+ substitution in bridgmanite, although trace amounts of oxygen‐ and Mg‐site vacancy components are also present. Bridgmanite with more than 40 mol% FeAlO3 transforms into the LiNbO3‐type phase upon decompression. The FeAlO3 end‐member decomposes into corundum and hematite and does not form single‐phase bridgmanite. We determined the maximum solubility of the FeAlO3 component in bridgmanite at 27 GPa and 2000 K to be 67 mol%, which is significantly higher than previously reported values (25–36 mol%). We determined the partial molar volume (27.9 mol/cm3) and bulk modulus (197 GPa) of hypothetical FeAlO3 bridgmanite, which are significantly higher and lower than those of AlAlO3 and FeSiO3 bridgmanite, respectively. The non‐ideality of MgSiO3‐FeAlO3 solid solution (W = 13 kJ/mol, where W is the interaction parameter) is significantly larger than that for MgSiO3‐AlAlO3 (5 kJ/mol) and MgSiO3‐FeSiO3 (3 kJ/mol) solid solutions. The rapid decrease in abundance of the MgAlO2.5 component in bridgmanite with increasing pressure is enhanced by the presence of the FeAlO3 component. The FeAlO3 content in pyrolite and mid‐ocean ridge basalt is far below its solubility limit in bridgmanite and provides new insight into the mineralogy of the lower mantle.Key Points: We studied phase relations in the system MgSiO3‐FeAlO3 at 27 GPa and 2000 KWe determined the stability, solubility, and thermoelastic properties of the FeAlO3 component in bridgmaniteWe applied this knowledge of the FeAlO3 component to obtain new insight into the mineralogy of the lower mantle [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen vacancies (OVs), that charge‐balance the replacement of octahedrally coordinated Si4+ by Al3+ in the mineral bridgmanite, will influence transport properties in the lower mantle but little is known about their stability and local structure. Using 27Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy we have characterized OVs within six aluminous bridgmanite samples. In the resulting NMR spectra sixfold, fivefold, and fourfold coordinated Al species are resolved, in addition to near eightfold coordinated Al substituting for Mg. Fivefold coordinated Al is formed by single OV sites but fourfold coordination must result from short range ordering of OVs, producing OV clusters that may form through migration into twin domain walls. Characterizing the occurrence of such OV structures is an important prerequisite for understanding how transport properties change with depth and composition in the lower mantle. Plain Language Summary: The lower mantle encompasses the largest region of the Earth's interior and is mainly composed of the perovskite‐structured mineral (Mg,Fe,Al)(Al,Si)O3 bridgmanite. Its properties, therefore, control both the diffusive transport of elements and solid state flow in the lower mantle, which will be strongly influenced by point defects. We have identified and quantified defects in bridgmanite that arise from the replacement of silicon by aluminum and result in the creation of a vacant oxygen site. These oxygen defects are also found to form clusters in the structure, which in other perovskite structured minerals have been shown to strongly affect physical properties. As defect formation and ordering is dependent on composition and pressure, strong variations in physical properties may be expected within the upper 300 km of the lower mantle. Key Points: Al substitution in bridgmanite is dominated by the oxygen vacancy mechanism for peridotite mantle compositionsShort‐range ordering of oxygen vacancies takes place forming oxygen vacancy clusters possibly due to migration into twin domain wallsOxygen vacancy clusters are expected to have a major influence on transport properties of the lower mantle, such as the electrical conductivity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured elastic moduli and hardness of polycrystalline SiO2 coesite. Translucent polycrystalline bulk coesite with a grain size of about 10 micrometers was fabricated at 8 GPa and 1600°C using a Kawai‐type multianvil apparatus. The obtained bulk and shear moduli are 94(1) and 60.2(3) GPa, respectively. The resulting Vickers and Knoop hardness values are 10.9(7) and 9.6(4) GPa, respectively, at an indentation load of 4.9 N. Coesite is as hard as other fourfold coordinated silica materials such as quartz and densified silica glasses. The hardness values of coesite and the fourfold coordinated silica materials are about one‐third of those of sixfold coordinated silica materials, stishovite, and seifertite, which are the hardest known oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High‐impact review papers describe and synthesize the current state of the art, the open questions and controversies, and provide ideas for future investigations. They are written not only for a specific scientific discipline but also for the broader Earth and space science community. They not only summarize the literature, but they also create a framework from which to understand the progress, problems, and connections between different communities, observations, models, and approaches. Here we describe how to write a high‐impact review paper, and why you should consider writing one for Reviews of Geophysics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase relations in the system MgSiO3-Al2O3 were investigated at pressures of 27-45 GPa and temperatures of 1700, 2000, and 2300 K using sintered diamond and tungsten carbide anvils in a multianvil apparatus. The bulk compositions in the MgSiO3-Al2O3 binary system crystallize a phase assemblage of pyrope and corundum at pressures below 27 GPa and an assemblage of bridgmanite and corundum at pressures above 27 GPa regardless of temperatures. The solubility of Al2O3 in bridgmanite and that of MgSiO3 in corundum increases significantly with increasing temperature. The solubility of Al2O3 in bridgmanite increases from 6.7 mol % at 1700 K to 21.8 mol % at 2500 K under a constant pressure of 27 GPa. Bridgmanite becomes more aluminous with increasing pressure from 27 to 45 GPa at a given temperature. The MgSiO3 content in corundum increases with increasing pressure at pressure lower than 27 GPa, while it decreases at pressure higher than 27 GPa. Our results suggest that bridgmanite can incorporate a considerably higher Al2O3 content than that of the pyrope composition (25 mol % Al2O3). The present study further suggests that the entire Al2O3 component is accommodated into bridgmanite in the pyrolite lower mantle. However, Al2O3 cannot be fully accommodated into bridgmanite in the coldest parts of subducted slabs in the shallow part of the lower mantle, and therefore, additional phases such as MgAl2O4 with calcium ferrite-type structure are necessary to host the excess Al2O3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High pressure and temperature synthesis of compositions made of (Si1-x,Gex)O2 where x is equal to 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 0.7, and 1 was performed at 7-12 GPa and 1200-1600°C using a Kawai-type high-pressure apparatus. At 12 GPa and 1600°C, all the run products were composed of a single phase with a rutile structure. The lattice constants increase linearly with the germanium content (x), which indicates that the rutile-type phases in the SiO2-GeO2 system form a complete series of solid solutions at these pressure and temperature conditions. Our experimental results show that thermodynamic equilibrium state was achieved in this system at 12 GPa and 1600°C, but not at 1200°C. At lower pressures (7 and 9 GPa) and 1600°C, we observed the decomposition of (Si0.5,Ge0.5)O2 into SiO2-rich coesite and GeO2-rich rutile phases. The silicon content in the rutile structure increases sharply with pressure in the vicinity of the coesite-stishovite phase transition pressure in SiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-temperature clinoenstatite (HT-CEn) is one of the most important MgSiO3 pyroxene polymorphs, but the details of its structure and stability have been uncertain. The single crystal of the C2/ c HT-CEn end-member is firstly synthesized by rapid pressure-temperature quenching from 15-16 GPa and 1173-2173 K. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows unusual bonding distances and static disorder of the atoms frozen in this metastable structure. The degree of kinking of the silicate tetrahedral chains is 175° for HT-CEn. The chain angle for HP-CEn is substantially smaller (135°), but the angle for L-CEn is in the opposite direction at −160° (= 200°). The degree of kinking increases by being curved by more than 180° for the transition from HT-CEn to L-CEn. As for the reverse change from the expansion to the stretch, a potential barrier exists at the point of the continuity. It is suggested that the reason why a structure can be quenched under ambient conditions is as follows: the present HT-CEn single crystal has been formed by the isosymmetric phase transition from the high-pressure C2/ c clinoenstatite (HP-CEn). The presence of HT-CEn from HP-CEn in natural rocks is an indicator of quenching history, which leads to the possibility that it exists in shocked meteorites and impact materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frontispiece: A Novel High-Pressure Tin Oxynitride Sn2N2O Keywords: density functional calculations; electron diffraction; high-pressure synthesis; synchrotron radiation; tin oxynitride Density functional calculations, electron diffraction, high-pressure synthesis, synchrotron radiation, tin oxynitride. [Extracted from the article]