As our understanding of the composition and properties of the lower mantle progresses, there is a greater need to explore the incorporation of minor elements in the oxides and silicates that make up earth's largest layer. The influence of Fe is commonly investigated, but many other minor elements can have a substantial impact on properties such as density, heat transport, seismic velocity, and many more. We invite both theoretical and experimental studies that explore the distribution of minor elements in lower mantle minerals, and their impact on material properties. A full description of the session is rovided below.

This session is cosponsored by AGU and MSA, and could potentially be oral, poster, or both, depending on the number of abstracts received. The abstract submission deadline is August 8, so we encourage anyone interested to submit an abstract soon. Please feel free to contact the conveners with any uestions, and we look forward to seeing you in San Francisco!

TITLE: Impact of minor elements on lower mantle mineralogy

CONVENERS:

Daniel Hummer (Department of Earth and Space Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA), dhummer@ess.ucla.edu
Katherine Crispin (Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC), kcrispin@ciw.edu

DESCRIPTION:
This session invites submissions concerning the incorporation and behavior of minor elements in lower mantle minerals, and their impact on rheological properties. Minor elements include, but are not limited to, C, Na, Al, S, K, Ca, Fe, and other transition metals. Submissions may be experimental or theoretical in nature, and topics may include concentrations of minor elements, mineralogical/crystallographic environment, phase partitioning, diffusion, and the influence of minor elements on properties such as density, bulk modulus, shear modulus, seismic velocity, and thermal conductivity.