Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 174. Discovery of the perovskite to post-perovskite phase transition in MgSiO3, expected to occur for deep mantle conditions, was first announced in April 2004. This immediately stimulated numerous studies in experimental and theoretical mineral physics, seismology, and geodynamics evaluating the implications of a major lower mantle phase change. A resulting revolution in our understanding of the D′′ region in the lowermost mantle is well underway. This monograph presents the multidisciplinary advances to date ensuing from interpreting deep mantle seismological structures and dynamical processes in the context of the experimentally and theoretically determined properties of the post-perovskite phase change; the last silicate phase change likely to occur with increasing pressure in lowermost mantle rocks.

Deep Earth: Physics and Chemistry of the Lower Mantle and Core highlights recent advances and the latest views of the deep Earth from theoretical, experimental, and observational approaches and offers insight into future research directions on the deep Earth. In recent years, we have just reached a stage where we can perform measurements at the conditions of the center part of the Earth using state-of-the-art techniques, and many reports on the physical and chemical properties of the deep Earth have come out very recently. Novel theoretical models have been complementary to this breakthrough. These new inputs enable us to compare directly with results of precise geophysical and geochemical observations. This volume highlights the recent significant advancements in our understanding of the deep Earth that have occurred as a result, including contributions from mineral/rock physics, geophysics, and geochemistry that relate to the topics of: I. Thermal structure of the lower mantle and core II. Structure, anisotropy, and plasticity of deep Earth materials III. Physical properties of the deep interior IV. Chemistry and phase relations in the lower mantle and core V. Volatiles in the deep Earth The volume will be a valuable resource for researchers and students who study the Earth's interior. The topics of this volume are multidisciplinary, and therefore will be useful to students from a wide variety of fields in the Earth Sciences.

Volume 71 of Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry represents an extensive review of the material presented by the invited speakers at a short course on Theoretical and Computational Methods in Mineral Physics held prior (December 10-12, 2009) to the Annual fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, California. The meeting was held at the Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center in Berkeley, California. Contents: Density functional theory of electronic structure: a short course for mineralogists and geophysicists The Minnesota density functionals and their applications to problems in mineralogy and geochemistry Density-functional perturbation theory for quasi-harmonic calculations Thermodynamic properties and phase relations in mantle minerals investigated by first principles quasiharmonic theory First principles quasiharmonic thermoelasticity of mantle minerals An overview of quantum Monte Carlo methods Quantum Monte Carlo studies of transition metal oxides Accurate and efficient calculations on strongly correlated minerals with the LDA+U method: review and perspectives Spin-state crossover of iron in lower-mantle minerals: results of DFT+U investigations Simulating diffusion Modeling dislocations and plasticity of deep earth materials Theoretical methods for calculating the lattice thermal conductivity of minerals Evolutionary crystal structure prediction as a method for the discovery of minerals and materials Multi-Mbar phase transitions in minerals Computer simulations on phase transitions in ice Iron at Earth’s core conditions from first principles calculations First-principles molecular dynamics simulations of silicate melts: structural and dynamical properties Lattice dynamics from force-fields as a technique for mineral physics An efficient cluster expansion method for binary solid solutions: application to the halite-silvite, NaCl-KCl, system Large scale simulations Thermodynamics of the Earth’s mantle

Treatise on Geophysics: Seismology and Structure of the Earth, Volume 1, provides a comprehensive review of the state of knowledge on the Earths structure and earthquakes. It addresses various aspects of structural seismology and its applications to other fields of Earth sciences. The book is organized into four parts. The first part principally covers theoretical developments and seismic data analysis techniques from the end of the nineteenth century until the present, with the main emphasis on the development of instrumentation and its deployment. The second part reviews the status of knowledge on the structure of the Earths shallow layers, starting with a global review of the Earth's crustal structure. The third part focuses on the Earth's deep structure, divided into its main units: the upper mantle, the transition zone and upper-mantle discontinuities, the D region at the base of the mantle, and the Earth's core. The fourth part comprises two chapters which discuss constraints on Earth structure from fields other than seismology: mineral physics and geodynamics. - Self-contained volume starts with an overview of the subject then explores each topic with in depth detail - Extensive reference lists and cross references with other volumes to facilitate further research - Full-color figures and tables support the text and aid in understanding - Content suited for both the expert and non-expert

Treatise on Geophysics, Second Edition, is a comprehensive and in-depth study of the physics of the Earth beyond what any geophysics text has provided previously. Thoroughly revised and updated, it provides fundamental and state-of-the-art discussion of all aspects of geophysics. A highlight of the second edition is a new volume on Near Surface Geophysics that discusses the role of geophysics in the exploitation and conservation of natural resources and the assessment of degradation of natural systems by pollution. Additional features include new material in the Planets and Moon, Mantle Dynamics, Core Dynamics, Crustal and Lithosphere Dynamics, Evolution of the Earth, and Geodesy volumes. New material is also presented on the uses of Earth gravity measurements. This title is essential for professionals, researchers, professors, and advanced undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of Geophysics and Earth system science. Comprehensive and detailed coverage of all aspects of geophysics Fundamental and state-of-the-art discussions of all research topics Integration of topics into a coherent whole

The Indian National Science Academy was established in January 1935 with the objective of promoting science in India and harnessing scientific knowledge for the cause of humanity and national welfare. In 1968 it was designated as the adhering organisation in India to the International Council for Scientific Union (ICSU) on behalf of the Government of India. Over the years, the Academy has published a number of journals, volumes, biographical memoirs, etc. The year 2009–2010 will be specially celebrated to mark the Platinum Jubilee of the Academy. Many programmes are planned in different centres in India on this occasion. In addition, the Academy has decided to publish a number of special volumes on different s- jects ranging from earth sciences to life sciences. This volume is on Physics and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior. One of the main objectives of geophysicists is to establish the internal structure of the earth as revealed by seismic tomography. It is also their primary goal to correlate geophy- cal data to reveal thermal and chemical state of the crust, mantle and core of the earth. In - der to interpret seismic velocities and associated density and elastic properties in terms of mineralogical and petrological models of the earth’s interior, thermodynamic and hi- pressure temperature data from mineral physics are essential. With the advent of different types of multi-anvil and laser-heated diamond anvil equipment, it is now possible to simulate conditions prevalent even in the lower mantle and core of the earth.