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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]

PERSPECTIVES EARTHSCIENCES SpecialTopic:KeyProblemsoftheDeepEarth Asthenosphere dynamics based on the H 2 O dependence of element diffusivity in olivine TomooKatsura 1,2,* andHongzhanFei 1 The oceanic asthenosphere is one of the most enigmatic regions in the Earth's interior. Because the C H 2 O exponent of Si grain boundary self-diffusivity is identical to that of Si lattice diffusivity within error (0.26 ± 0.07), that of pipe diffusivity should be identical to these values. [Extracted from the article]

Fe,Al-bearing MgSiO3 perovskite (bridgmanite) is considered to be the most abundant mineral in Earth's lower mantle, hosting ferric iron in its structure as charge-coupled (Fe2O3 and FeAlO3) and vacancy components (MgFeO2.5 and Fe2/3SiO3). We examined concentrations of ferric iron and aluminum in the perovskite phase as a function of temperature (1700–2300 K) in the MgSiO3-FeAlO3-MgO system at 27 GPa using a multi-anvil high-pressure apparatus. We found a LiNbO3-structured phase in the quenched run product, which was the perovskite phase under high pressures and high temperatures. The perovskite phase coexists with corundum and a phase with (Mg,Fe3+,□)(Al,Fe3+)2O4 composition (□= vacancy). The FeAlO3 component in the perovskite phase decreases from 69 to 65 mol% with increasing temperature. The Fe2O3 component in the perovskite phase remains unchanged at ~1 mol% with temperature. The A-site vacancy component of Fe2/3SiO3 in the perovskite phase exists as 1–2 mol% at 1700–2000 K, whereas 1 mol% of the oxygen vacancy component of MgFeO2.5 appears at higher temperatures, although the analytical errors prevent definite conclusions. The A-site vacancy component might be more important than the oxygen vacancy component for the defect chemistry of bridgmanite in slabs and for average mantle conditions when the FeAlO3 charge-coupled component is dominant. [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 Clapeyron slope is the slope of a phase boundary in P–T space and is essential for understanding mantle dynamics and evolution. The phase boundary is delineating instead of balancing a phase transition's normal and reverse reactions. Many previous high pressure–temperature experiments determining the phase boundaries of major mantle minerals experienced severe problems due to instantaneous pressure increase by thermal pressure, pressure drop during heating, and sluggish transition kinetics. These complex pressure changes underestimate the transition pressure, while the sluggish kinetics require excess pressures to initiate or proceed with the transition, misinterpreting the phase stability and preventing tight bracketing of the phase boundary. Our recent study developed a novel approach to strictly determine phase stability based on the phase equilibrium definition. Here, we explain the details of this technique, using the post-spinel transition in Mg2SiO4 determined by our recent work as an example. An essential technique is to observe the change in X-ray diffraction intensity between ringwoodite and bridgmanite + periclase during the spontaneous pressure drop at a constant temperature and press load with the coexistence of both phases. This observation removes the complicated pressure change upon heating and kinetic problem, providing an accurate and precise phase boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eulerian finite strain of an elastically isotropic body is defined using the expansion of squared length and the post-compression state as reference. The key to deriving second-, third- and fourth-order Birch–Murnaghan equations-of-state (EOSs) is not requiring a differential to describe the dimensions of a body owing to isotropic, uniform, and finite change in length and, therefore, volume. Truncation of higher orders of finite strain to express the Helmholtz free energy is not equal to ignoring higher-order pressure derivatives of the bulk modulus as zero. To better understand the Eulerian scheme, finite strain is defined by taking the pre-compressed state as the reference and EOSs are derived in both the Lagrangian and Eulerian schemes. In the Lagrangian scheme, pressure increases less significantly upon compression than the Eulerian scheme. Different Eulerian strains are defined by expansion of linear and cubed length and the first- and third-power Eulerian EOSs are derived in these schemes. Fitting analysis of pressure-scale-free data using these equations indicates that the Lagrangian scheme is inappropriate to describe P-V-T relations of MgO, whereas three Eulerian EOSs including the Birch–Murnaghan EOS have equivalent significance. [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]

Presents measurements of the electrical conductivity of perovskite in a multi-anvil press at conditions appropriate for the uppermost lower mantle. Explanation for the change in slope; Factors that may affect lower-mantle conductivity; Experimental results.

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 found a new nickel sulfide that is isostructural with Fe3S. The synthesized nickel sulfide is a non-stoichiometric compound with a Ni deficiency and its composition is Ni2.90±0.5S. In situ synchrotron X-ray observations indicate that Ni3-xS forms above 5.1 GPa and melts incongruently into Ni+liquid up to 10 GPa. The bulk modulus of Ni3-xS at 300 K was determined to be 140 ± 2 GPa with a fixed K' = 4 by static compression with a liquid pressure medium. The eutectic point of the Ni-NiS system lies between Ni3S and Ni3S2 up to 10 GPa and its composition changes from Ni66.6S33.4 at 0.1 MPa to Ni70.7S29.3 at 10 GPa. The eutectic melting temperature of the Ni-NiS system decreases to 5.1 GPa and 720 K as the pressure increases where Ni and α-Ni3S2 are the eutectic solids. On the other hand, the eutectic melting temperature increases with a positive slope above 5.1 GPa where Ni3S+α-Ni3S2 is stable under subsolidus conditions. Intermediate compounds appear at a lower pressure in the Ni-NiS system than that for the Fe-FeS system. Ni3S2 is stable at atmospheric pressure and Ni3S forms at 5.1 GPa, whereas Fe3S2 and Fe3S form at 14 and 20 GPa, respectively. The addition of Ni complicates the melting relationship in the Fe-FeS system at high pressure because of the wider stability field of Ni3S. The low-melting temperature of the Fe-Ni-S system plays an important role in the percolative core-formation of planetesimals during planetary accretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the phase boundary between the perovskite and post-perovskite structures in MnGeO3, in situ X-ray observations were carried out at pressures of 57-68 GPa and temperatures of 1000-1900 K using the Kawai-type high-pressure apparatus equipped with sintered diamond anvils interfaced with synchrotron radiation. The phase boundary was determined to be P (GPa) = 39.2 + 0.013T (K) based on Tsuchiya's (2003) gold pressure scale. The Clapeyron slope, dP/dT, of 13(+12/-5) MPa/K, determined in the present study is larger that of MgGeO3 and MgSiO3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure–temperature conditions of tourmaline breakdown in a metapelite were determined by high-pressure experiments at 700–900°C and 4–6 GPa. These experiments produced an eclogite–facies assemblage of garnet, clinopyroxene, phengite, coesite, kyanite and rare rutile. The modal proportions of tourmaline clearly decreased between 4.5 and 5 GPa at 700°C, between 4 and 4.5 GPa at 800°C, and between 800 and 850°C at 4 GPa, with tourmaline that survived the higher temperature conditions appearing corroded and thus metastable. Decreases in the modal abundance of tourmaline are accompanied by decreasing modal abundance of coesite, and increasing that of clinopyroxene, garnet and kyanite; the boron content of phengite increases significantly. These changes suggest that, with increasing pressure and temperature, tourmaline reacts with coesite to produce clinopyroxene, garnet, kyanite, and boron-bearing phengite and fluid. Our results suggest that: (1) tourmaline breakdown occurs at lower pressures and temperatures in SiO2-saturated systems than in SiO2-undersaturated systems. (2) In even cold subduction zones, subducting sediments should release boron-rich fluids by tourmaline breakdown before reaching depths of 150 km, and (3) even after tourmaline breakdown, a significant amount of boron partitioned into phengite could be stored in deeply subducted sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase relations of iron-rich olivine and its high-pressure polymorphs are important for planetary science and meteoritics because these minerals are the main constituents of terrestrial mantles and meteorites. The olivine–ahrensite binary loop was previously determined by thermochemical calculations in combination with high-pressure experiments; however, the transition pressures contained significant uncertainties. Here we determined the binary loop of the olivine–ahrensite transition in the (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 system at 1740 K in the pressure range of 7.5–11.2 GPa using a multi-anvil apparatus with the pressure determined using in situ X-ray diffraction, compositional analysis of quenched run products, and thermochemical calculation. Based on the determined binary loop, a user-friendly software was developed to calculate pressure from the coexisting olivine and ahrensite compositions. The software is used to estimate the shock conditions of several L6-type chondrites. The obtained olivine–ahrensite phase relations can also be applied for precise in-house multi-anvil pressure calibration at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tungsten isotope composition of meteorites indicates that core formation in planetesimals occurred within a few million years of Solar System formation. But core formation requires a mechanism for segregating metal, and the 'wetting' properties of molten iron alloy in an olivine-rich matrix is thought to preclude segregation by permeable flow unless the silicate itself is partially molten. Excess liquid metal over a percolation threshold, however, can potentially create permeability in a solid matrix, thereby permitting segregation. Here we report the percolation threshold for molten iron-sulphur compounds of approximately 5 vol.% in solid olivine, based on electrical conductivity measurements made in situ at high pressure and temperature. We conclude that heating within planetesimals by decay of shortlived radionudides can increase temperature sufficiently above the iron-sulphur melting point (∼1,000 °C) to trigger segregation of iron alloy by permeable flow within the short timeframe indicated by tungsten isotopes. We infer that planetesimals with radii greater than about 30 km and larger planetary embryos are expected to have formed cores very early, and these objects would have contained much of the mass in the terrestrial region of the protoplanetary nebula. The Earth and other terrestrial planets are likely therefore to have formed by accretion of previously differentiated planetesimals, and Earth's core may accordingly be viewed as a blended composite of preformed cores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report on the discovery of a ternary silicon titanium nitride with the general composition (Si1−x,Tix)3N4 with x = 0 < x < 1 and spinel-type crystal structure. The novel nitride is formed from an amorphous silicon titanium nitride (SiTiN) precursor under high-pressure/high-temperature conditions in a large volume high-pressure device. Under the conditions of 15–20 GPa and 1800–2000 °C, spinel-type γ-Si3N4 and rock salt-type c-TiN are formed. In addition, crystals of the discovered nano-sized ternary phase (Si1−x,Tix)3N4 embedded in γ-Si3N4 are identified. The ternary compound is formed due to kinetically-controlled synthesis conditions and is analyzed to exhibit the spinel-type structure with ca. 8 atom% of Ti. The Ti atoms occur in both Ti3+ and Ti4+ oxidation states and are located on the Si sites. The ternary nano-crystals have to be described as (Si,Ti)3N4 with N-vacancies resulting in the general composition (Si4+1−x Ti4+x-δTi3+δ)3N4-δ. [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]

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]

A transition from A-type to E-type fabrics in olivine may be the cause of a decrease in seismic anisotropy with depth in the upper mantle. To better understand upper mantle seismic signals, we investigate the origin of E-type fabrics using a natural olivine by deformation experiments. An olivine crystal was first hydrated at 5 GPa and 1473 K (with 4–60 ppm H2O), or dehydrated at room pressure at 1473 K at an oxygen fugacity near the enstatite-magnesite-olivine-graphite (EMOG) buffer. This hydrated/dehydrated olivine was then sheared in the [100] direction on the (001) plane at pressures of 2 to 5 GPa and temperatures of 1473 or 1573 K. The deformed samples were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on the (001) plane to determine whether the [100](001) slip system was activated or not. Only c-elongated [100] dislocations were observed for the anhydrous samples, while [100](001) dislocations dominated in the hydrous samples. The dislocation structure of the [100](001) slip system developed under hydrous and relatively low-temperature conditions indicates different slip mechanism which is detected under anhydrous and high-temperature conditions in previous studies. We conclude that the incorporation of water into olivine helps to activate the [100](001) slip system by reducing its Peierls stress. This supports the idea that E-type fabrics can exist under hydrous conditions and that a transition to this fabric may be the cause of seismic anisotropy decrease with depth in the asthenosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mg grain boundary diffusion coefficients were measured in forsterite aggregates as a function of pressure (1 atm and 13 GPa), temperature (1100–1300 K), water content (<1–350 wt. ppm bulk water), and oxygen fugacity (10–18–10–0.7 bar) using a multi-anvil apparatus and a gas-mixing furnace. The diffusion profiles were analyzed by secondary ion mass spectrometer, whereas the water contents in the samples were measured by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The activation volume, activation enthalpy, water content exponent, and oxygen fugacity exponent for the Mg grain-boundary diffusion coefficients are found to be 3.9 ± 0.7 cm3/mol, 355 ± 25 kJ/mol, 1.0 ± 0.1, and –0.02 ± 0.01, respectively. By comparison with the Mg lattice diffusion data (Fei et al. 2018), the bulk diffusivity of Mg in forsterite is dominated by lattice diffusion if the grain size is larger than ~1 mm under upper mantle conditions, whereas effective grain-boundary and lattice diffusivities are comparable when the grain size is ~1–100 μm. [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]

MgSiO akimotoite is stable relative to majorite-garnet under low-temperature geotherms within steeply or rapidly subducting slabs. Two compositions of Mg-akimotoite were synthesized under similar conditions: Z674 (containing about 550 ppm wt HO) was synthesized at 22 GPa and 1,500 °C and SH1101 (nominally anhydrous) was synthesized at 22 GPa and 1,250 °C. Crystal structures of both samples differ significantly from previous studies to give slightly smaller Si sites and larger Mg sites. The bulk thermal expansion coefficients of Z674 are (153-839 K) of a = 20(3) × 10 K and a = 17(2) × 10 K, with an average of α = 27.1(6) × 10 K. Compressibility at ambient temperature of Z674 was measured up to 34.6 GPa at Sector 13 (GSECARS) at Advanced Photon Source Argonne National Laboratory. The second-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state (BM2 EoS) fitting yields: V = 263.7(2) Å, K = 217(3) GPa ( K′ fixed at 4). The anisotropies of axial thermal expansivities and compressibilities are similar: α = 8.2(3) and α = 10.68(9) (10 K); β = 11.4(3) and β = 15.9(3) (10 GPa). Hydration increases both the bulk thermal expansivity and compressibility, but decreases the anisotropy of structural expansion and compression. Complementary Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy shows multiple structural hydration sites. Low-temperature and high-pressure FTIR spectroscopy (15-300 K and 0-28 GPa) confirms that the multiple sites are structurally unique, with zero-pressure intrinsic anharmonic mode parameters between −1.02 × 10 and +1.7 × 10 K, indicating both weak hydrogen bonds (O-H···O) and strong OH bonding due to long O···O distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first study of electrical conductivities of silicate melts at very high pressures (up to 10 GPa) and temperatures (up to 2,173 K). Impedance spectroscopy was applied to dry and hydrous albite (NaAlSiO) glasses and liquids (with 0.02-5.7 wt% HO) at 473-1,773 K and 0.9-1.8 GPa in a piston-cylinder apparatus, using a coaxial cylindrical setup. Measurements were also taken at 473-2,173 K and 6-10 GPa in two multianvil presses, using simple plate geometry. The electrical conductivity of albite melts is found to increase with temperature and water content but to decrease with pressure. However, at 6 GPa, conductivity increases rapidly with temperature above 1,773 K, so that at temperatures beyond 2,200 K, conductivity may actually increase with pressure. Moreover, the effect of water in enhancing conductivity appears to be more pronounced at 6 GPa than at 1.8 GPa. These observations suggest that smaller fractions of partial melt than previously assumed may be sufficient to explain anomalously high conductivities, such as in the asthenosphere. For dry melt at 1.8 GPa, the activation energy at T > 1,073 K is higher than that at T < 1,073 K, and the inflection point coincides with the rheological glass transition. Upon heating at 6-10 GPa, dry albite glass often shows a conductivity depression starting from ~1,173 K (due to crystallization), followed by rapid conductivity enhancement when temperature approaches the albite liquidus. For hydrous melts at 0.9-1.8 GPa, the activation energies for conductivity at ≥1,373 K are lower than those at <973 K, with a complex transition pattern in between. Electrical conductivity and previously reported Na diffusivity in albite melt are consistent with the Nernst-Einstein relation, suggesting the dominance of Na transport for electrical conduction in albite melts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressless split-sphere apparatus (BARS) equipped with an 8-6 type multi-anvil system is used extensively for large (6 carats) gem quality diamond crystal growth and various mineralogical and geochemical studies at shallow mantle conditions (P ≤ 7.5 GPa). In this study, we extend the pressure range for this apparatus to the conditions of the Earth's transition zone (P = 20 GPa) using a 6-8 multi-anvil system. A scaled-up Kawai-cell consisting of 47 mm WC cubic anvils with 10 mm truncation and 18 mm MgO pressure medium was employed for the experiments. A 300 mm spherical multi-anvil block compressed by a hydraulic system with 2500 atm capacity was used to compress the Kawai-cell. A pressure of 15.5 GPa was successfully generated at the oil pressure of 1875 atm. The comparison of the BARS apparatus calibrations with those obtained using a uniaxial split-sphere press USSA-5000 suggests that pressure up to 17 and 20 GPa in compressed cell/sample volumes of 1200/60 and 400/18 mm³, respectively, can be generated using a combination of the BARS apparatus and the scaled-up Kawai-cell. This cell volume is much larger than that in conventional multi-anvil systems, which does not exceed 80 mm3 at the same conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Earth’s mantle transition zone could potentially store a large amount of water, as the minerals wadsleyite and ringwoodite incorporate a significant amount of water in their crystal structure. The water content in the transition zone can be estimated from the electrical conductivities of hydrous wadsleyite and ringwoodite, although such estimates depend on accurate knowledge of the two conduction mechanisms in these minerals (small polaron and proton conductions), which early studies have failed to distinguish between. Here we report the electrical conductivity of these two minerals obtained by high-pressure multi-anvil experiments. We found that the small polaron conductions of these minerals are substantially lower than previously estimated. The contributions of proton conduction are small at temperatures corresponding to the mantle transition zone and the conductivity of wadsleyite is considerably lower than that of ringwoodite for both mechanisms. The dry model mantle shows considerable conductivity jumps associated with the olivine–wadsleyite, wadsleyite–ringwoodite and post-spinel transitions. Such a dry model explains well the currently available conductivity–depth profiles obtained from geoelectromagnetic studies. We therefore conclude that there is no need to introduce a significant amount of water in the mantle transition to satisfy electrical conductivity constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oceanic asthenosphere is observed to have high electrical conductivity, which is highly anisotropic in some locations. In the directions parallel and normal to the plate motion, the conductivity is of the order of 10-1 and 10-2 S m-1, respectively, which cannot be explained by the conductivity of anhydrous olivine. But because hydrogen can be incorporated in olivine at mantle pressures, this observation has been attributed to olivine hydration, which might cause anisotropically high conductivity by proton migration. To examine this hypothesis, here we report the effect of water on electrical conductivity and its anisotropy for hydrogen-doped and undoped olivine at 500–1,500 K and 3 GPa. The hydrous olivine has much higher conductivity and lower activation energy than anhydrous olivine in the investigated temperature range. Nevertheless, extrapolation of the experimental results suggests that conductivity of hydrous olivine at the top of the asthenosphere should be nearly isotropic and only of the order of 10-2 S m-1. Our data indicate that the hydration of olivine cannot account for the geophysical observations, which instead may be explained by the presence of partial melt elongated in the direction of plate motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ observations of the zircon-reidite transition in ZrSiO4 were carried out using a multianvil high- pressure apparatus and synchrotron radiation. The phase boundary between zircon and reidite was determined to be P (GPa) = 8.5+0.0017×(T-1200) (K) for temperatures between 1100–1900 K. When subducted slabs, including igneous rocks and sediments, descend into the upper mantle, the zircon in the subducted slab transforms into reidite at pressures of about 9 GPa, corresponding to a depth of 270 km. Reidite found in an upper Eocene impact ejecta layer in marine sediments is thought to have been transformed from zircon by a shock event. The peak pressure generated by the shock event in this occurrence is estimated to be higher than 8 GPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water has been thought to affect the dynamical processes in the Earth's interior to a great extent. In particular, experimental deformation results suggest that even only a few tens of parts per million of water by weight enhances the creep rates in olivine by orders of magnitude. However, those deformation studies have limitations, such as considering only a limited range of water concentrations and very high stresses, which might affect the results. Rock deformation can also be understood as an effect of silicon self-diffusion, because the creep rates of minerals at temperatures as high as those in the Earth's interior are limited by self-diffusion of the slowest species. Here we experimentally determine the silicon self-diffusion coefficient DSi in forsterite at 8 GPa and 1,600 K to 1,800 K as a function of water content CH2O from less than 1 to about 800 parts per million of water by weight, yielding the relationship, DSi ≈ (CH2O)1/3. This exponent is strikingly lower than that obtained by deformation experiments (1.2; ref. 7). The high nominal creep rates in the deformation studies under wet conditions may be caused by excess grain boundary water. We conclude that the effect of water on upper-mantle rheology is very small. Hence, the smooth motion of the Earth's tectonic plates cannot be caused by mineral hydration in the asthenosphere. Also, water cannot cause the viscosity minimum zone in the upper mantle. And finally, the dominant mechanism responsible for hotspot immobility cannot be water content differences between their source and surrounding regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents research which studied the phase boundary between spinel (gamma phase) and MgSiO3 perovskite + MgO periclase in Mg2SiO4. Use of in situ X-ray measurements; Temperatures studied; Presence of negative Clapeyron slope; Location of boundary.

Water has a strong influence on transport properties in minerals and on the Earth's interior dynamics. However, the small effect of water on upper-mantle rheology was suggested based on Si self-diffusivity because Si is the slowest diffusion species in silicate minerals and believed to control their rheology (Fei et al. 2013). The aim of this study is to examine whether the effect of water on Si self-diffusivity is also small in wadsleyite, which is the major mineral of the upper part of the mantle transition zone. We have experimentally determined Si self-diffusivity as a function of water content and crystallographic orientation Measurement were conducted on single crystals of Fe-free wadsleyite using 29Si enriched thin-film as a diffusing couple. Diffusion profiles were obtained using a NanoSIMS with the depth-profile method. Here, we determined Arrhenius relations for volume diffusion rates parallel to each crystallographic orientation. It was found that water significantly enhances Si self-diffusivity in comparison with previously reported values for wadsleyite and olivine. These results suggest that mantle viscosity significantly decreases across the 410-km discontinuity by assuming high water content in the mantle transition zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]