Geophysics. Deep diamond mysteries

Effect of Oxygen on Diamond Crystallization in Metal-Carbon Systems

In this article, we report the influence of oxygen concentration in the transition-metal solvent-catalyst on the crystallization processes, morphology, and defect-and-impurity content of diamond crystals. In a series of experiments, the concentration of oxygen (C _O) in the growth system was varied by adding Fe₂O₃ to the charge, and the other parameters and conditions of the growth were constant: Ni₇Fe₃ solvent-catalyst, P = 6.0 GPa, T = 1400 °C, and duration of 40 h. It is found that on increasing C _O in the growth system from 0 to 10 wt %, the crystallization of diamond proceeds through the following stages: single crystal → block crystal → spontaneous crystals → aggregate of block crystals and twin crystals. At C _O ≥ 5 wt %, diamond crystallizes jointly with wustite (FeO) and metastable graphite. The oxygen solubility in the iron-nickel melt is estimated at about 2 wt %. With increasing oxygen content in the system, the range of nitrogen concentrations in diamonds crystallized in one experiment significantly broadens with the maximum nitrogen concentrations being increased from 200-250 ppm in the experiment without O additives to 1100-1200 ppm in the experiment with 10 wt % O added. The established joint growth of diamond and wustite suggests possible crystallization of natural diamonds in the Fe-Ni-O-C system over a wide range of oxygen concentrations up to 10 wt %.

Some recent advances in understanding the mineralogy of Earth's deep mantle

Understanding planetary structure and evolution requires a detailed knowledge of the properties of geological materials under the conditions of deep planetary interiors. Experiments under the extreme pressure-temperature conditions of the deep mantle are challenging, and many fundamental properties remain poorly constrained or are inferred only through uncertain extrapolations from lower pressure-temperature states. Nevertheless, the last several years have witnessed a number of new developments in this area, and a broad overview of the current understanding of the Earth's lower mantle is presented here. Some recent experimental and theoretical advances related to the lowermost mantle are highlighted. Measurements of the equation of state and deformation behaviour of (Mg,Fe)SiO3 in the CaIrO3-type (post-perovskite) structure yield insights into the nature of the core-mantle boundary region. Theoretical studies of the behaviour of MgSiO3 liquids under high pressure-temperature conditions provide constraints on melt volumes, diffusivities and viscosities that are relevant to understanding both the early Earth (e.g. deep magma oceans) and seismic structure observed in the present Earth (e.g. ultra-low-velocity zones).