Sound velocity study of natural orthopyroxenes with varying iron content

Picek, Stephen M

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/78756 Copy

Description

Title

Sound velocity study of natural orthopyroxenes with varying iron content

Author(s)

Picek, Stephen M

Issue Date

2015-04-21

Department of Study

Geology

Discipline

Geology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• orthopyroxene
• elasticity
• Brillouin scattering
• upper mantle heterogeneity

Abstract

Determination of the acoustic wave velocities of orthopyroxene as a function of composition is essential to identify the underlying causes of seismic heterogeneity. Such laboratory measurements are essential to determine the structure, composition and temperature variability of the upper mantle. This study presents a systematic characterization of orthopyroxene elastic moduli as a function of composition in the enstatite-orthoferrosilite system. For each sample and composition, the sound velocities are measured by Brillouin scattering in three orthogonal crystallographic planes. Inverting sound velocity data allows determination of the complete elastic modulus tensor, as well as the adiabatic bulk (Ks) and shear (μs) moduli. Samples were naturally occurring with approximate compositions: En90, En79, En74, and En55. The results establish nearly linear trends of VP and VS as a function of mole fraction En between the end members enstatite (Jackson et al 2007) and orthoferrosilite (Bass and Weidner 1984). Analysis of previous studies on orthopyroxene and the present work confirms that aluminum has the effects of increasing Ks while also confirming no discernable effect from Ca substitution. Ks. is poorly correlated to Mg-Fe substitution whereas μs correlates in a more linear between the end-members. These findings will help better characterize chemical, namely Mg and Fe, heterogeneity in the upper mantle.

Graduation Semester

2015-5

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/78756

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2015 Stephen Picek

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