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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Keywords

  • post-perovskite
  • D″ layer

Index Terms

  • Mineral Physics: Creep and deformation
  • Mineralogy and Petrology: Petrography, microstructures, and textures
  • Mineralogy and Petrology: Experimental mineralogy and petrology
  • Seismology: Mantle
  • Tectonophysics: Rheology: mantle

Abstract

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 36, L04302, 5 PP., 2009
doi:10.1029/2008GL036840

Transformation textures in post-perovskite: Understanding mantle flow in the D″ layer of the Earth

N. P. Walte

Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

F. Heidelbach

Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

N. Miyajima

Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

D. J. Frost

Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

D. C. Rubie

Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

D. P. Dobson

Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UK

Deformation and texture formation in (Mg, Fe)SiO3 post perovskite (ppv) is a potential explanation for the strong seismic anisotropy that is found in the D″ layer of the Earth. However, different experimental approaches have resulted in different lattice preferred orientations (LPO) in deformed ppv that have led to ambiguity in the interpretation of deformation in the lowermost mantle. Here, we show that deformation of the analogue substance CaIrO3 during a phase transformation from perovskite to ppv leads to a transformation texture that differs from the CaIrO3 ppv deformation texture but resembles the results from ppv deformation experiments in diamond anvil cells. Assuming material spreading parallel to the core-mantle boundary, our results predict a widespread shear wave splitting with fast horizontal S-waves, which is compatible with seismic studies. Downwelling material that undergoes a phase transformation may develop a transformation texture that would locally result in vertically polarized fast S-waves.

Received 3 December 2008; accepted 16 January 2009; published 18 February 2009.

Citation: Walte, N. P., F. Heidelbach, N. Miyajima, D. J. Frost, D. C. Rubie, and D. P. Dobson (2009), Transformation textures in post-perovskite: Understanding mantle flow in the D″ layer of the Earth, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L04302, doi:10.1029/2008GL036840.

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