Abstract
Single crystalline San Carlos olivine (1 mm cube) was transformed to (Mg,Fe)2SiO4β-phase at 13.5–15 GPa, 1030–1330 °C for 0–600 min using a multi-anvil high pressure apparatus. The α-β transformation occurred by incoherent surface nucleation and interface-controlled growth and recovered partially transformed samples showed sharply defined reaction rim. The growth rate of the β-phase rim significantly decreased with time and the growth eventually ceased. TEM observations revealed that many dislocations were created in both the relict olivine just near the α-β interface and the β-phase in the rim, which show evidence for deformation caused by interfacial stresses associated with the misfit elastic strain of the transformation. The observed tangled dislocation texture in β-phase suggested that the β-phase rim was hardened and relaxation of the interfacial stress was retarded. This probably caused a localized pressure drop in the relict olivine and decreased the growth rate. Time-dependent growth rates of β-phase is possibly controlled by the rheology of β-phase, which must be considered for the prediction of the olivine metastability in the subducting slabs.
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Received: 24 January 1997 / Revised, accepted: 24 July 1998
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Kubo, T., Ohtani, E., Kato, T. et al. Experimental investigation of the α-β transformation of San Carlos olivine single crystal. Phys Chem Min 26, 1–6 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002690050155
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002690050155