Solid solution behaviour of lower mantle minerals

Kinetic Processes of Mantle Minerals

This dissertation discusses the experimental results designed to constrain the processes of MORB generation. The main focus of this study is to investigate the location and the related processes of the transformation boundary from spinel to garnet peridotite facies at subsolidus conditions, because the presence of garnet in melting residues has significant influence to the conclusion drawn from...

Thermodynamics of mantle minerals – I. Physical properties

S U M M A R Y We present a theory for the computation of phase equilibria and physical properties of multicomponent assemblages relevant to the mantle of the Earth. The theory differs from previous treatments in being thermodynamically self-consistent: the theory is based on the concept of fundamental thermodynamic relations appropriately generalized to anisotropic strain and in encompassing el...

Spin-State Crossover of Iron in Lower-Mantle Minerals: Results of DFT+U Investigations

First Principles Quasiharmonic Thermoelasticity of Mantle Minerals

Thermodynamic (Anderson 2005) and elastic properties (Musgrave 1970) of minerals provide the fundamental information needed to analyze seismic observations and to model Earth’s dynamic state. The connection between pressure, temperature, chemical composition, and mineralogy that produce seismic velocity gradients, heterogeneities, and discontinuities, can be established with knowledge of thermo...

The spin state of iron in minerals of Earth’s lower mantle

[1] The spin state of Fe(II) and Fe(III) at temperatures and pressures typical for the Earth’s lower mantle is discussed. We predict an extended high-spin to low-spin crossover region along the geotherm for Fe-dilute systems depending on crystal-field splitting, pairing energy, and cooperative interactions. In particular, spin transitions in ferromagnesium silicate perovskite and ferropericlase...