Impact of phase transitions on P wave velocities

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In regions where a high pressure phase is in equilibrium with a low pressure phase, the bulk modulus defined by the P– V relationship is greatly reduced. Here we evaluate the effect of such transitions on the P wave velocity. A model, where cation diffusion is the rate limiting factor, is used to project laboratory data to the conditions of a seismic wave propagating in the two-phase region. We demonstrate that for the minimum expected effect there is a significant reduction of the seismic velocity, as large as 10% over a narrow depth range.