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Title: The Water-Fe-Pressure dependent single-crystal elastic properties of wadsleyite: Implications for the seismic anisotropy in the upper Mantle Transition Zone

Journal Article · · Earth and Planetary Science Letters
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [8];  [2]
  1. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Inst. of Meteoritics
  2. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  3. Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States). Hawaii Inst. of Geophysics and Planetology
  4. Ehime Univ., Matsuyama (Japan). Geodynamics Research Center
  5. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
  6. Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States). Hawaii Inst. of Geophysics and Planetology; Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Univ. of Chicago, GeoSoiEnviroCARS
  7. American Physical Society (APS), College Park, MD (United States)
  8. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
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Recent seismic studies suggest an anisotropic Mantle Transition Zone (MTZ) in areas adjacent to subducted slabs. Wadsleyite is the main anisotropy contributor in the upper MTZ, therefore the interpretation of these seismic observations requires the knowledge of single-crystal elastic moduli (Cijs) and the deformation-induced lattice preferred orientation (LPO) of wadsleyite. Wadsleyite can host up to 3 wt% water in its crystal structure as point defects in the form of hydroxyl groups, however, the combined effect of water content, Fe content, and pressure on the Cijs of wadsleyite remains unclear. In this study, we measured the high-pressure single-crystal elasticity of a synthetic hydrous Fe-bearing wadsleyite (0.14(5) wt% water, Fe#=9.4, Fe3+/ΣFe=0.3) up to 18.2 (2) GPa. In combination with previous experimental data, we separated the effects of pressure, water, and Fe contents on the Cijs and intrinsic elastic anisotropy of wadsleyite. Overall, our results suggest that the intrinsic elastic anisotropy of wadsleyite decreases with pressure, water, and Fe contents. At 15 GPa, increasing the water content by 0.1 wt% or Fe# by 1 decreases the VP and VS anisotropy of wadsleyite by ~1.1-1.3%, and ~0.8-1.3% in average, respectively. Combined with the LPO determined in previous deformation experiments, we modeled the seismic anisotropy in the upper MTZ generated by a sub-vertical mantle flow near cold subducted slabs and a sub-horizontal mantle flow in the ambient mantle. In both scenarios, the LPO of wadsleyite leads to VSV (vertically polarized shear wave velocity) > VSH (horizontally polarized shear wave velocity). Our results suggest that wadsleyite may account for a weak anisotropic MTZ (<1%) on the global scale. Considering the fact that water decreases the elastic anisotropy but promotes LPO of wadsleyite, seismic anisotropy may not be a good water sensor.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357; FG02-94ER14466; EAR-1664471; EAR-1555388; EAR-1829273; EAR-1654687; EAR-1661511; EAR-1634415
OSTI ID:
1846989
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1779533
Journal Information:
Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Vol. 565; ISSN 0012-821X
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Water sensor
Elasticity
Mantle Transition Zone
Seismic Anisotropy
Wadsleyite