Phase-Transition Studies on Earth's Materials by High-Pressure Experiments and Calorimetry, and Crystal-Chemical Studies on High-Pressure Inorganic Compounds

Abstract

In this article, advances on phase-transition studies of mantle minerals in the Earth's interior are reviewed. Precise phase relations of minerals and related inorganic compounds at high pressure have been determined by precise high-pressure experiments and also by thermodynamic calculations based on calorimetric measurements. Crystal-chemical studies on high-pressure analogue compounds for silicates and aluminates have been made to get insight to crystal structures and properties of the minerals stable in the deep Earth's interior. The results substantially advance our understanding of the structure and dynamics of the deep mantle.