New transitions of MgSiO3 post-perovskite under ultrahigh pressure

ORAL

Abstract

Understanding the behavior of MgSiO$_{3}$ post-perovskite (PPV) under extreme pressures is fundamental for modeling the interiors of super-Earth type exoplanets and the cores of solar giants. Previously, MgSiO$_{3}$ PPV was predicted to dissociate into MgO and MgSi$_{2}$O$_{5}$ and then into MgO and SiO$_{2}$ (Umemoto et al., Science 311, 983 (2006); Umemoto and Wentzcovitch, EPSL 311, 225 (2011)). Using the adaptive genetic algorithm, we predict new phase transitions in MgSiO$_{3}$. The phase diagram calculated using the quasi-harmonic approximation shows that some transitions can occur in some super-Earths type exoplanets.

*Research by NSF under ATM-0426757 (VLab) and EAR-1047629 and DOE under DE-AC02-07CH11358.

Authors

  • Koichiro Umemoto

    • Department of Geophysics and Geology, University of Minnesota and Ames Laboratory, Iowa State Univand
    • Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minnesota
  • Shunqing Wu

    • Ames Lab, Iowa state University and Department of Physics, Xiamen University
  • Min Ji

    • Ames Lab, Iowa state University
  • Cai-Zhuang Wang

    • Ames Lab, Iowa state University
  • Kai-Ming Ho

    • Ames Lab, Iowa state University
  • Renata Wentcovitch

    • Depeartment of Chem Eng Mat Sci, University of Minnesota