Research Projects

Astronomical advancements have led to the discovery of several super Earth planets with masses 1-10 times larger than Earth. Understanding their structure and dynamics is crucial, as their internal pressure and temperature can reach several TPa pressures and 12,000-15,000 K. Phases like MgSiO3 post-perovskite, the last stable silicate phase, may show transitions that are energetically favored and expected to have significant effects on processes like mantle convection and plate tectonics. However, the conditions required for these transitions in the laboratory are currently beyond the reach of advanced experimental techniques. To study these transitions, (Mg,Fe)2GeO4 as an analogue of (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 is proposed. Density functional theory computations show several candidate structures, and experiments will be used to benchmark calculations and gain a better understanding of planetary silicates.