High-Pressure Mineral Physics and Mantle Dynamics

Research in high-pressure mineral physics probes the behaviour of Earth’s deep interior by subjecting mantle minerals to the extreme pressures and temperatures found hundreds to thousands of kilometres below the surface. Phase transitions such as the post-spinel and post-perovskite reactions control density contrasts, elastic properties and rheology, thereby regulating the style and vigour of mantle convection. Laboratory devices—including diamond anvil cells and multi-anvil presses—replicate core-mantle boundary conditions, allowing direct measurement of phase stability, sound velocities and transport properties. Results inform seismic interpretations of subducting slabs, upwelling plumes and the enigmatic D″ layer at the base of the mantle, where chemical heterogeneity and anisotropy arise. Integration of mineral physics data into convection models links small-scale experiments with global dynamics, yielding predictions for surface observables such as topography, gravity anomalies and volcanic activity. Beyond academic insight, this work underpins our understanding of planetary formation, deep carbon and water cycles, and the seismic risk associated with deep-focused earthquakes.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have revealed a pronounced nonlinearity in the post-spinel boundary, demonstrating that the Clapeyron slope of the ringwoodite to bridgmanite + ferropericlase transition varies markedly with temperature. Laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments combined with synchrotron X-ray diffraction have refined this boundary from –4 MPa/K at 2100 K to 0 MPa/K at 1600 K, indicating that lateral temperature variations can modulate slab stagnation and plume ascent. Another seminal contribution elucidated the discovery of the post-perovskite phase of bridgmanite under core-mantle boundary conditions, providing a robust explanation for seismic anisotropy and the sharp D″ discontinuity. These advances underscore the critical role of precise pressure–temperature calibrations in linking mineral physics to geophysical observations.

High-Pressure Mineral Physics and Mantle Dynamics publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in high-pressure mineral physics and mantle dynamics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Clapeyron slope: The rate at which a phase boundary pressure changes with temperature, influencing buoyancy and convection.

Post-spinel transition: The dissociation of ringwoodite into bridgmanite and ferropericlase, marking the upper–lower mantle boundary.

Post-perovskite: A high-pressure polymorph of bridgmanite stable at core-mantle boundary conditions, associated with D″ seismic discontinuities.

Diamond anvil cell: A device that uses opposing diamond tips to generate static pressures above 100 GPa for in situ measurements.

Multi-anvil apparatus: An assembly of nested anvils that applies high pressure and temperature over larger sample volumes than a diamond anvil cell.

References

1. Nonlinearity of the post-spinel transition and its expression in slabs and plumes worldwide. Nature Communications (2025).
2. SEISMIC, a Python-based code of the quantas package to calculate the phase and group acoustic velocities in crystals. Computers & Geosciences (2024).
3. A Breakthrough in Pressure Generation by a Kawai-Type Multi-Anvil Apparatus with Tungsten Carbide Anvils. Engineering (2019).