Raymond Jeanloz

B1-b2 transition in calcium oxide from shock-wave and diamond-cell experiments.

Volume and structural data obtained by shock-wave and diamond-cell techniques demonstrate that calcium oxide transforms from the B1 (sodium chloride type) to the B2 (cesium chloride type) structure at 60 to 70 gigapascals (0.6 to 0.7 megabar) with a volume decrease of 11 percent. The agreement between the shockwave and diamond-cell results independently confirms the ruby-fluorescence pressure scale to about 65 gigapascals. The shock-wave data agree closely with ultrasonic measurements on the B1 phase and also agree satisfactorily with equations of state derived from ab initio calculations. The discovery of this B1-B2 transition is significant in that it allows considerable enrichment of calcium components in the earths lower mantle, which is consistent with inhomogeneous accretion theories.

Shock-Produced Olivine Glass: First Observation

Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations of an experimentally shock-deformed single crystal of natural peridot, (Mg0.88Fe0.12)2SiO4, recovered from peak pressures of about 56 x 109 pascals revealed the presence of amorphous zones located within crystalline regions with a high density of tangled dislocations. This is the first reported observation of olivine glass. The shocked sample exhibits a wide variation in the degree of shock deformation on a small scale, and the glass appears to be intimately associated with the highest density of dislocations. This study suggests that olivine glass may be formed as a result of shock at pressures above about 50 to 55 x 109 pascals and that further TEM observations of naturally shocked olivines may demonstrate the presence of glass.

Infrared spectra of olivine polymorphs: ?, ? phase and spinel

Infrared (IR) absorption spectra are presented for olivine (α) and spinel (γ) phases of A2SiO4 (A=Fe, Ni, Co) and Mg2GeO4. IR spectra of β phase (“modified spinel”) Co2SiO4 and of α Mg2SiO4 are also included. These results provide reference spectra for the identification of olivine high-pressure polymorphs. Isostructural and isochemical correlations are used to support a general interpretation of the spectra and to predict the spectrum of γ Mg2SiO4. A γ Mg2GeO4 sample equilibrated at 1,000° C shows evidence of partial inversion, but one equilibrated at 730° C does not. This suggests that partial inversion could occur in silicate spinels at elevated temperatures and pressures, however no evidence of inversion is seen in the ir spectra of the silicates in this study.