Elastic anisotropy of ferromagnesian post-perovskite in Earth's D layer

We report experimental observation of a sizable elastic anisotropy in a polycrystalline sample of ferromagnesian silicate in post-perovskite (ppv) structure. Using a novel composite X-ray transparent gasket to contain and synthesize ppv in a panoramic diamond-anvil cell along with oblique X-ray diffraction geometry, we observed the anisotropic lattice strain and (1 0 0) or (1 1 0) slip-plane texture in the sample at 140 GPa. We deduced the elasticity tensor (c(ij)), orientation-dependent compressional wave velocities, polarization-dependent shear-wave velocities, and the velocity anisotropy of the silicate ppv. Our results are consistent with calculations and indicate that with sufficient preferred orientation, the elastic anisotropy of this phase can produce large shear-wave splitting. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.