Hiroaki Ohfuji

Sound velocities of majorite garnet and the composition of the mantle transition region.

The composition of the mantle transition region, characterized by anomalous seismic-wave velocity and density changes at depths of ∼400 to 700 km, has remained controversial. Some have proposed that the mantle transition region has an olivine-rich ‘pyrolite’ composition, whereas others have inferred that it is characterized by pyroxene- and garnet-rich compositions (‘piclogite’), because the sound velocities in pyrolite estimated from laboratory data are substantially higher than those seismologically observed. Although the velocities of the olivine polymorphs at these pressures (wadsleyite and ringwoodite) have been well documented, those of majorite (another significant high-pressure phase in the mantle transition region) with realistic mantle compositions have never been measured. Here we use combined in situ X-ray and ultrasonic measurements under the pressure and temperature conditions of the mantle transition region to show that majorite in a pyrolite composition has sound velocities substantially lower than those of earlier estimates, owing to strong nonlinear decreases at high temperature, particularly for shear-wave velocity. We found that pyrolite yields seismic velocities more consistent with typical seismological models than those of piclogite in the upper to middle parts of the region, except for the potentially larger velocity jumps in pyrolite relative to those observed at a depth of 410 km. In contrast, both of these compositions lead to significantly low shear-wave velocities in the lower part of the region, suggesting possible subadiabatic temperatures or the existence of a layer of harzburgite-rich material supplied by the subducted slabs stagnant at these depths.

Structure of framboidal pyrite: An electron backscatter diffraction study

Abstract The detailed crystallography of natural pyrite framboids has been determined for the first time using electron backscatter diffraction techniques. The crystallographic ordering of microcrystals correlates positively with morphological ordering; the crystallographic orientations are random in morphologically disordered framboids and are almost ordered in morphologically ordered framboids. Morphologically ordered framboids involve two types of systematic misorientations across the microcrystal boundaries: low-angle (ca. <20°) and high-angle (ca. 70.90°) misorientations. The low-angle misorientation probably reflects slight physical misalignment of microcrystals in the packing structure, whereas the high-angle misorientation is considered to result from the dichotomy of the pyrite microcrystals having fourfold morphological symmetry but only twofold crystallographic symmetry about <100>. Thus, the crystallographic orientation of microcrystals is not uniform, even in highly ordered framboids. This suggests that the self-organization of microcrystals in pyrite framboids is not crystallographically controlled, for example by sequential replication of existing microcrystals, since this would not result in high lattice misorientation angles between adjacent microcrystals. Presumably, the self-organization process is a consequence of the aggregation of multiple equidimensional and equimorphic microcrystals that have nucleated in a fixed volume. We suggest that the regular arrangement of microcrystals occurs by the physical rotation (reorientation) of individual microcrystals, driven by the reduction in surface free energy between neighbors.

Ultralow viscosity of carbonate melts at high pressures

Knowledge of the occurrence and mobility of carbonate-rich melts in the Earths mantle is important for understanding the deep carbon cycle and related geochemical and geophysical processes. However, our understanding of the mobility of carbonate-rich melts remains poor. Here we report viscosities of carbonate melts up to 6.2 GPa using a newly developed technique of ultrafast synchrotron X-ray imaging. These carbonate melts display ultralow viscosities, much lower than previously thought, in the range of 0.006-0.010 Pa s, which are ~2 to 3 orders of magnitude lower than those of basaltic melts in the upper mantle. As a result, the mobility of carbonate melts (defined as the ratio of melt-solid density contrast to melt viscosity) is ~2 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of basaltic melts. Such high mobility has significant influence on several magmatic processes, such as fast melt migration and effective melt extraction beneath mid-ocean ridges.

Elasticity and sound velocities of polycrystalline Mg3Al2(SiO4)3 garnet up to 20 GPa and 1700 K

Elastic wave velocities of synthetic polycrystalline Mg3Al2(SiO4)3 garnet have been successfully measured to 20 GPa and temperatures up to 1700 K by ultrasonic interferometry combined with energy-dispersive synchrotron x-ray diffraction in a Kawai-type multi-anvil apparatus. Compressional (Vp) and shear (Vs) wave velocities as well as the adiabatic bulk (Ks) and shear (G) moduli exhibit monotonic increase with increasing pressure and decrease with increasing temperature, respectively. Two-dimensional (P-T) linear fittings of the present data yield the following parameters: KS0 = 170.0(2) GPa, əKs/əP = 4.51(2), əKs/əT = −0.0170(1) GPa/K, G0 = 93.2(1) GPa, əG/əP = 1.51(2), and əG/əT = −0.0107(1) GPa/K, which is in good agreement with the earlier results by Brillouin scattering and/or ultrasonic measurements at relatively low P-T conditions. The observed linear pressure and temperature dependence in both Vp and Vs is in contrast to the non-linear behavior of Vp and Vs for majorite garnet with the pyrolite co...

Phase relations in boron at pressures up to 18 GPa and temperatures up to 2200 ∘ C

The phase relations in boron have been investigated at high pressure and high temperature using a multianvil apparatus, and the quenched sample has been analyzed by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, and transmission electron microscopy. We demonstrate that

New high-pressure B2 phase of FeS above 180 GPa

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Influence of graphite crystallinity on the microtexture of nano-polycrystalline diamond obtained by direct conversion

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Application of nano-polycrystalline diamond to laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments

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High-pressure generation using double stage micro-paired diamond anvils shaped by focused ion beam

can be synthesized over a wide pressure and temperature range, and

Natural occurrence of pure nano-polycrystalline diamond from impact crater

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