Mineralogy of the Lowermost Mantle

Abstract

The bottom of the mantle has long been of great interest because its various anomalies and heterogeneities in geophysical observations. New interpretation of the bottom layer of the mantle in the light of material science is recently stimulated since the discovery of post-perovskite phase in MgSiO3. Subsequent experimental approaches using laser-heated diamond anvil cell, and theoretical approaches also provide new results related to the core-mantle boundary region. We report here the latest scenarios of the lowermost mantle based on the high-pressure and high-temperature experiments and their sample analysis for major minerals.