Low-temperature olivine rheology at high pressure

San-Carlos olivine rheology was investigated at pressure (P) up to 9 GPa and temperature (T) lower than 890 ◦C. Six powder specimens were cold compressed and sintered into dense and compact materials, then deformed during relaxation experiments carried out at constant pressure and temperature in DIA-type cubic-anvil apparatus. Sample elastic strain was monitored during relaxation by in situ X-ray diffraction. Run product microstructures were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A new method for measuring olivine rheology at high pressure from X-ray diffraction peak broadening is documented. From the data collected between 500 and 740 ◦C, the following rheological law is obtained: ε̇(s−1) = 2.6 ( +23 −2.3 ) × 10 × exp  − (564 ± 89)× 10 3 RT(J/mol) [ 1 − ( σ(GPa) 15.4 ± 1.0 )2/3]2  , where ε̇ and σ are respectively the olivine microscopic plastic strain rate and internal stress, and R is the gas constant. TEM investigation of deformed sample microstructures reveals that this law corresponds to the activation of c-dislocation glide, and is thus representative of the olivine low-temperature dislocation-creep regime at high pressure. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.