Calcium silicate perovskite

Figure 1 Depth-varying phase proportions in a pyrolite model mantle after the manner of Ringwood (1989), Ita and Stixmde (1992), and Bina (1998h). Phases are (a) ohvine, (fi) wadsleyite, (y) ringwoodite, (opx) orthopyroxene, (cpx) clinopyroxene, (gt-mj) garnet-majorite, (mw) magnesiowiistite, ((Mg,Fe)-pv) ferromagnesian sihcate perovskite, and (Ca-pv) calcium silicate perovskite. Patterned region at base denotes likely heterogeneity near core-mantle boundary.

Kellogg et al. (1999), however, have suggested, on the basis of a transition in seismic heterogeneity observed at —1,600 km depth, the possibility of a very deep layer extending hundreds of kilometers above the core-mantle boundary. One possibility is that a relic layer of dense, primordial crystalline differentiates (e.g., magnesium- and calcium-silicate perovskite) may have remained buried in the deep lower mantle until the present. Such a layer is a potential storehouse for trace elements, including radioactive heat-producing elements, and potentially could provide an important reservoir for bulk silicate Earth chemical mass balance... 

The average atom model also affords an examination ofthe effect ofCa concentration on the structure of silicate perovskite. Given that CaSi03 is cubic, we expect (Mgi Ca )Si03 to become cubic for some value of x, even for a static lattice, and to lower the temperature of the predicted temperature induced orthorhombic to tetragonal/cubic transformation. Figure 11 shows the b/a and c/a lattice ratios as functions of. At the low concentrations that are compatible with our miscibility estimates (figure 10), Ca is unlikely to have a substantial effect on the structure of the static lattice. However, the effect of Ca on the critical temperature remains unknown. A full assessment of calcium s effect on the structure of silicate... 

The authors [34] proposed to use perovskites ABO3, where A are calcium cations, or a mixture of calcium and lanthanum, and B are iron, cobalt, nickel or manganese cations, or their mixtures. Besides, aluminates, silicates, aluminium sihcates, zirconates and chromates of different types are added as structure-forming components providing strength and stability to thermal shocks [34]. 

The refractory condensate model has fallen out of favor, including with Lewis (1988). Nevertheless, it is a useful end-member case. Goettel (1988) calculated the composition of the silicate portion of an ultrarefractory Mercury (Table 2, column 2). This model composition contains no FeO or volatiles, and has large concentrations of the refractory elements—aluminum, calcium, and magnesium. We calculated the thorium and uranium contents of such refractory condensates by assuming chondritic Al/Th and Al/U ratios. A surface of this composition will contain many of the phases in calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAls), such as forsterite, anorthite, spinel, perovskite, hibonite, and melilite. 

Ca-pv — calcium perovskite carb — carbonate liquid diop — diopsidic pyroxene gar — garnet Dm — ilmenite Uq — silicate liquid Im — liquid metal/sulfide maj — majorite mel — meUlite... 

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