Elasticity of (Mg0.83,Fe0.17)O ferropericlase at high pressure: ultrasonic measurements in conjunction with X-radiation techniques

Abstract

The elasticity of ferropericlase with a potential mantle composition of (Mg0.83,Fe0.17)O is determined using ultrasonic interferometry in conjunction with in situ X-radiation techniques (X-ray diffraction and X-radiography) in a DIA-type cubic anvil high-pressure apparatus to pressures of 9 GPa (NaCl pressure scale) at room temperature. In this study, we demonstrate that it is possible to directly monitor the specimen length using an X-ray image technique and show that these lengths are consistent with those derived from X-ray diffraction data when no plastic deformation of the specimen occurs during the experiment. By combining the ultrasonic and X-ray diffraction data, the adiabatic elastic bulk (KS) and shear (G) moduli and specimen volume can be measured simultaneously. This enables pressure scale-free measurements of the equation of state of the specimen using a parameterization such as the Birch–Murnaghan equation of state. The elastic moduli determined for (Mg0.83,Fe0.17)O are KS0=165.5(12) GPa, G0=112.4(4) GPa, and their pressure derivatives are KS0′=4.17(20) and G0′=1.89(6). If these results are compared with those for MgO, they demonstrate that KS0 and KS0′ are insensitive to the addition of 17 mol% FeO, but G0 and G0′ are reduced by 14% and 24%, respectively. We calculate that the P and S wave velocities of a perovskite plus ferropericlase phase assemblage with a pyrolite composition at the top of the lower mantle (660 km depth) are lowered by 0.8 and 2.3%, respectively, when compared with those calculated using the elastic properties of end-member MgO. Consequently, the magnitudes of the calculated wave velocity jumps across the 660 km discontinuity are reduced by about 11% for P wave and 20% for S wave, if this discontinuity is considered as a phase transformation boundary only (ringwoodite→perovskite+ferropericlase).