Sound velocities of aluminum‐bearing stishovite in the mantle transition zone

The elasticity of Al‐bearing stishovite with 1.0, 3.3, and 4.5 wt % Al2O3 was investigated in the multianvil apparatus at high pressures and temperatures up to 21 GPa and 1700 K, by ultrasonic interferometry in conjunction with in situ X‐ray techniques. The moduli KS and G are found to decrease with increasing Al2O3 content, while their pressure and temperature derivatives do not change in a significant manner for 1.0 and 3.3 wt % Al2O3. The temperature derivatives for 4.5 wt % Al2O3, however, are larger, which may result from a change in the Al substitution mechanism at high Al2O3 content. It is shown that acoustic velocities of any mid‐ocean ridge basalt are lower by −0.4% than those calculated from pure stishovite data. Velocity perturbations up to −3.4% (VP) and −4.2% (VS) in subducted slabs are explained by the combination of the thermal equilibration (ΔT ~ 600 K) of the slab and Al enrichment in stishovite. Key Points Sound velocities of Al‐bearing stishovite were measured up to 21 GPa and 1700 K Incorporation of aluminum substantially decreases elastic moduli of stishovite Two weight percent Al2O3 variation in stishovite explains ~0.4% velocity perturbations in the slab region