High pressure deformation experiments using deformation-Cubic Anvil, D-CAP 700, with synchrotron X rays

Introduction Studies of the rheological properties of rocks and minerals are important for understanding the dynamics and evolution of the Earth’s mantle. However quantitative experimental studies were limited up to about 4 GPa until recently due to technical limitations. A new deformation apparatus had been proposed by Durham et al. [1] and the new apparatus is capable of deforming samples under confining pressure up to 15GPa. Basically, the new apparatus consists of the cubic-anvil apparatus known as the DIA and two differential rams. The system has been introduced into synchrotron X-ray beamlines [2], and a procedure for measuring stress and strain using synchrotron X-rays had been developed [3], in order to quantify the experimental data. So far, experiments using the deformation DIA with synchrotron X-rays have been conducted at only two beamlines, the GeoSoilEnviro CARS 13-BM-D beamline of the Advanced Photon Source and the X17B2 beamline of the National Synchrotron Light Source. Some results using these techniques are controversial. In order to obtain undoubted results and to advance further the experimental studies on rheological properties of the deep mantle, we installed a deformation cubic anvil, D-CAP 700 at the 14C2 beamline of the Photon Factory, which is basically similar to the conventional D-DIA system. The differential rams are driven by micro-discharge pumps, and the deformation cubic anvil component is driven by MAX-III 700ton press installed at the 14C2 beamline.