Computer modelling of a pressure induced phase change in clinoenstatite pyroxenes

Abstract

 Using lattice dynamic modelling of pure MgSiO₃ clinopyroxenes, we have be able to simulate the properties of both the low-clino (P2₁/c) and a high-density-clino (C2/c) phases and our results are comparable with the high pressure (HP) X-ray study of these phases (Angel et al. 1992). The transition between the two phases is predicted to occur at 6GPa. The volume variation with pressure for both phases is described by a third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state with the parameters V _{0  low}=31.122 cm³·mol⁻¹, K _{T0  low}= 107.42 GPa, K′ _{T0  low}=5.96, V _{0  high}=30.142 cm³·mol^–1, K _{T0  high}102.54 GPa and K′ _{T0  high}=8.21. The change in entropy between the two modelled phases at 6GPa is ΔS _{6 Gpa}=−1.335 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ and the equivalent change in volume is ΔV _{6 GPa}=−0.92 cm³·mol⁻¹, from which the gradient of the phase boundary δP/δT is 0.0014 GPa·K⁻¹. The variation of the bulk modulus with pressure was also determined from the modelled elastic constants and compares very well with the EOS data. The reported Lehmann discontinuity, ∼220 km depth and pressure of 7.11Gpa, has an increase in the seismic compressional wave velocity, v _p , of 7.14% using the data given for PREM (Anderson 1989). At a pressure of 7GPa any phase transition of MgSiO₃ pyroxene would be between ortho (Pbca) and high-clino. We find the value of v _p at 7GPa, for modelled orthoenstatite (Pbca), is 8.41 km·sec⁻¹ and that for the modelled high-clino phase at 7GPa is 8.93 km·sec⁻¹, giving a dv _p /v _p of 6.18%.