Hugoniot equation of state of olivine and its geodynamic implications

Abstract

Large olivine samples were hot-pressed synthesized for shock wave experiments. The shock wave experiments were carried out at pressure range between 11 and 42 GPa. Shock data on olivine sample yielded a linear relationship between shock wave velocity D and particle velocity u described by D=3.56(±0.13)+2.57(±0.12)u. The shock temperature is determined by an energy relationship which is approximately 790°C at pressure 28 GPa. Due to low temperature and short experimental duration, we suggest that no phase change occurred in our sample below 30 GPa and olivine persisted well beyond its equilibrium boundary in metastable phase. The densities of metastable olivine are in agreement with the results of static compression. At the depth shallower than 410 km, the densities of metastable olivine are higher than those of the PREM model, facilitating cold slab to sink into the mantle transition zone. However, in entire mantle transition zone, the shock densities are lower than those of the PREM model, hampering cold slab to flow across the “660 km” phase boundary.