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Garnet inclusions in diamond and the state of the upper mantle

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Abstract

Temperature and pressure estimates for Earth's upper mantle generally are based on indirect information derived from phase equilibria studies and the measurement of temperature and pressure dependent physical and chemical properties for relevant mantle materials. This paper describes an alternative approach, based on solid-inclusion piezothermometry, which utilizes the thermoelastic properties of direct mantle derived mineral samples. In particular, this study provides the theoretical development, based on the Murnaghan equation of state for solids, for a simple method of calculating isomeke lines for host and inclusion minerals of cubic symmetry which may be extrapolated accurately to upper mantle pressure and temperature conditions. The method is demonstrated for the particular case of garnet inclusions in diamond, for which adequate laboratory thermoelastic data are available.

A specific application is made in the evaluation of the depth of formation of the D1 garnet-diamond inclusion system described by Harris et al. (1970). The pressure and temperature conditions of inclusion formation lie along the calculated isomeke line within the range constrained by recent graphite-diamond phase equilibria data. However, because the isomeke line for the garnet-diamond system and the graphite-diamond phase transition are very similar in slope, a further constraint is required. Assuming, therefore, that temperature in the upper mantle is bounded by the “Oceanic” and “Shield” geotherms of Clark and Ringwood (1964), the present results indicate that the D1 garnet-diamond system formed within the depth range 138 to 155 km (about 45 to 53 kbar pressure). This result, which relates to the genesis of kimberlite xenoliths, is generally consistent with the results of other studies which utilize phase equilibria data.

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  1. Department of Geosciences and Materials Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, 16802, University Park, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

    E. K. Graham & Z. A. Cybriwsky

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  1. E. K. Graham
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  2. Z. A. Cybriwsky
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Graham, E.K., Cybriwsky, Z.A. Garnet inclusions in diamond and the state of the upper mantle. Phys Chem Minerals 7, 216–222 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00311892

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