Wadsleyite Research Paper

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Scientists have long wanted to understand the environment and composition of the mantle. Teams of geologist have been trying for years to drill boreholes into the mantle. However, due to today’s technology and dwindling knowledge, as we get deeper and deeper into Earth, no one has come remotely close to getting there. Despite the failed attempts to collect material from the mantle, there are other ways that the mantle can be studied. One way is to study minerals that we can expect to find in the mantle such as wadsleyite. Wadsleyite was first discovered in the Peace River meteorite at Peace River, Alberta, Canada in 1966 and named after mineralogist Arthur David Wadsley. A phase transformation of the olivine, forsterite, wadsleyite is expected …show more content…

In one particular study by Huang et al,. 2005, water content was inferred by determining what effect does water and temperature have on electrical conductivity of wadsleyite. To do this wadsleyite samples of about 7 micrometers were produce from San Carlos olivine in a similar apparatus to that from Okayama University. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which utilizes frequency, was then used to determine the electrical conductivity samples. This electrical conductivity was correlated with varying degrees of temperature and water content of wadsleyite. This data was then compared to previous electrical conductivity studies on the mantle. It was then concluded that water content may vary regionally but an estimate of 0.1-0.2 percent weights in water content can be made for the Pacific (Huang et al., …show more content…

Certain and precise conditions must be met for this mineral to even exist; yet we are able to replicate it and understand its environment. This environment being the transition zone of the mantle that scientist only dream of reaching. In studying this mineral, a lot can be inferred about this area even before it is physically met. This zone from about 410 and 660 is defined by wadsleyite, encompasses pressures reaching 19 gigapascals and temperatures of 2000 degrees Celsius. This transition zone of the mantle is also highly likely to be a water reservoir concluded by all the studies done by the properties of wadsleyite. This is an extremely important find as more pieces of the puzzle come together to paint a better picture of how Earth

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