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A Cr3+ luminescence study of natural topaz Al2SiO4(F,OH)2 up to 60 GPa

Journal Article · · American Mineralogist
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2019-7079· OSTI ID:1573158
 [1];  [2]
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  2. Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)

Topaz [Al2SiO4(F,OH)2] is a subduction-related mineral that is found in metasediments and has a large pressure and temperature stability field. Here, we use luminescence spectroscopy of Cr3+ to probe the Al site in topaz at pressures up to ~60 GPa, which corresponds to a depth of ~1400 km in the Earth. This technique allows us to probe all three unique Al environments (i.e., [AlO4(OH)2]7–, [AlO4(F)2]7–, and [AlO4OH,F]7–) simultaneously under high pressure. We find that the R-line luminescence from all three Al environments shift linearly to longer wavelength to ~40 GPa. Above ~40 GPa, they shift nonlinearly and begin to flatten out at ~48 GPa, with a pressure shift of ~0 cm–1/GPa from ~48–55 GPa. Our results, combined with previous high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies to ~45 GPa, strongly indicate that there is a change in the compression mechanism in topaz above ~40 GPa. Furthermore, our high-pressure room-temperature results show that the metastable persistence of topaz on compression represents one of the most extreme cases among tetrahedrally coordinated silicates.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344
OSTI ID:
1573158
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL--772914; 963785
Journal Information:
American Mineralogist, Journal Name: American Mineralogist Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 104; ISSN 0003-004X
Publisher:
Mineralogical Society of AmericaCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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