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Experimental investigation of phase transformations of olivine and enstatite at the lower part of the mantle transition zone: Implications for structure of the 660 km seismic discontinuity

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Abstract

High-pressure polymorphs of olivine and enstatite are major constituent minerals in the mantle transition zone (MTZ). The phase transformations of olivine and enstatite at pressure and temperature conditions corresponding to the lower part of the MTZ are import for understanding the nature of the 660 km seismic discontinuity. In this study, we determine phase transformations of olivine (MgSi2O4) and enstatite (MgSiO3) systematiclly at pressures between 21.3 and 24.4 GPa and at a constant temperature of 1600°C. The most profound discrepancy between olivine and enstatite phase transformation is the occurency of perovskite. In the olivine system, the post-spinel transformation occures at 23.8 GPa, corresponding to a depth of 660 km. In contrast, perovskite appears at <23 GPa (640 km) in the enstatite system. The ∼1 GPa gap could explain the uplifting and/or splitting of the 660 km seismic discountinuity under eastern China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Yao Wu, YanFei Zhang, YanBin Wang & ZhenMin Jin

  2. Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, 100037, China

    ShuWen Dong

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  1. Yao Wu
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  2. YanFei Zhang
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  3. YanBin Wang
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  4. ZhenMin Jin
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Correspondence to Yao Wu.

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Wu, Y., Zhang, Y., Wang, Y. et al. Experimental investigation of phase transformations of olivine and enstatite at the lower part of the mantle transition zone: Implications for structure of the 660 km seismic discontinuity. Sci. China Earth Sci. 57, 592–599 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4735-x

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