Anhydrous Phase B: Transmission Electron Microscope Characterization and Elastic Properties

Abstract : We have performed an extensive characterization by transmission electron microscopy (including precession electron diffraction tomography and ab initio electron diffraction refinement as well as electron energy loss spectroscopy) of anhydrous phase B (Anh‐B) formed directly from olivine at 14 GPa, 1400 °C. We show that Anh‐B, which can be considered as a superstructure of olivine, exhibits strong topotactic relationships with it. This lowers the interfacial energy between the two phases and the energy barrier for nucleation of Anh‐B, which can form as a metastable phase. We have calculated the elastic and seismic properties of Anh‐B. From the elastic point of view, Anh‐B appears to be more isotropic than olivine. Anh‐B displays only a moderate seismic anisotropy quite similar to the one of wadsleyite.