Davemaoite
| Davemaoite | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Category | Mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | CaSiO3 |
| Strunz classification | 9.H0 |
| Crystal system | Isometric |
| Crystal class | Pm3m |
| Unit cell | a= 3.591 Å |
| Structure | |
Davemaoite is a high-pressure calcium silicate perovskite () mineral. Calcium silicate is found in other forms, such as wollastonite in the crust and breyite in the middle and lower regions of the mantle. However, this version can exist only at very high pressure of around 200,000 times that found at Earth’s surface. It has a telltale cubic crystal structure. Davemaoite has been artificially synthesized in the laboratory, but was thought to be too extreme to exist in the Earth's crust. This mineral was discovered within a diamond which formed 660 and 900 km beneath the Earths surface within the mantle, by focusing a high-energy beam of X-rays on precise spots. It is named after geophysicist Ho-kwang (Dave) Mao, who first described it from theory.
Its existence was revealed with a technique known as synchrotron X-ray diffraction.[1][2] [3]
See also
References
- ^ Baker, Harry (2021-11-14). "Diamond hauled from deep inside Earth holds never-before-seen mineral". Space.com. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ Pappas, Stephanie. "New Mineral Discovered in Deep-Earth Diamond". Scientific American. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ #author.fullName}. "New mineral davemaoite discovered inside a diamond from Earth's mantle". New Scientist. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help)
 | This geology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |