Subduction of hydrous materials imposes great influence on the structure, dynamics, and evolution of our planet. However, it is largely unclear how subducting slabs chemically interact with the middle mantle. Recently, an oxygen-excess phase (Mg,Fe)2O3+δ was discovered under conditions similar to the Earth’s middle mantle (~1000-2000 km) by a team of scientists from the Center of High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR) and Stanford University.
Click here for original story, Oxygen-excess oxides in Earth’s mid-mantle facilitate the ascent of deep oxygen
Source: Phys.org