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Title: An Experimental Investigation of the Relative Strength of the Silica Polymorphs Quartz, Coesite, and Stishovite

Journal Article · · Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GC007842· OSTI ID:1508444
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [3];  [4]; ORCiD logo [5]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Department of Earth Sciences University College London London UK
  2. Mineral Physics Institute State University of New York at Stony Brook Stony Brook NY USA
  3. Department of Earth Sciences University College London London UK, Now at Department of Chemical Engineering Imperial College London London UK
  4. School of Environmental Sciences, Jane Herdman Laboratories University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
  5. Advanced Light Source Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley CA USA, Now at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore CA USA

Abstract In this study, quartz, coesite, and stishovite were deformed concurrently with an olivine reference sample at high pressure and 850 ± 50 °C. Olivine deformed with an effective stress exponent ( n ) of , which we interpret to indicate that the Peierls creep deformation mechanism was active in the olivine. Quartz and coesite had very similar strengths and deformed by a mechanism with n = and , respectively, which are consistent with previous measurements of power law creep in these phases. Stishovite deformed with n  =  and was stronger than both olivine and the other silica polymorphs. The high stress exponent of stishovite is greater than that typically observed for power law creep, indicating it is probably (but not certainly) deforming by Peierls creep. The rheology of SiO 2 minerals appears therefore to be strongly affected by the change in silicon coordination and density from fourfold in quartz and coesite to sixfold in stishovite. If the effect of Si coordination can be generalized, the increase in Si coordination (and density) associated with bridgmanite formation may explain the tenfold to 100‐fold viscosity increase around 660 km depth in the Earth.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
DE‐AC02‐98CH10886
OSTI ID:
1508444
Journal Information:
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, Journal Name: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems Vol. 20 Journal Issue: 4; ISSN 1525-2027
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 9 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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