Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of theGeophysical Monograph Series, Volume 174.Discovery of the perovskite to post-perovskite phase transition inMgSiO3, expected to occur for deep mantle conditions,was first announced in April 2004. This immediately stimulatednumerous studies in experimental and theoretical mineral physics,seismology, and geodynamics evaluating the implications of a majorlower mantle phase change. A resulting revolution in ourunderstanding of the D" region in the lowermost mantle iswell underway. This monograph presents the multidisciplinaryadvances to date ensuing from interpreting deep mantleseismological structures and dynamical processes in the context ofthe experimentally and theoretically determined properties of thepost-perovskite phase change; the last silicate phase change likelyto occur with increasing pressure in lowermost mantle rocks.

PrefaceCharles T. Prewitt viiAn Introduction to Post-Perovskite: The Last Mantle PhaseTransitionKei Hirose, John Brodholt, Thorne Lay, and David A. Yuen1Section I: Mineral Physics (Experimental)Review of Experimental Studies on Mantle Phase TransitionsTakehiko Yagi 9Discovery of Post-Perovskite Phase Transition and the Nature ofD" LayerKei Hirose 19Effect of Iron on the Properties of Post-PerovskiteSilicateWendy L. Mao, Andrew J. Campbell, Vitali B. Prakapenka, RussellJ. Hemley, and Ho-kwang Mao 37Electronic Transitions and Spin States in the Lower MantleJie Li 47Lattice-Preferred Orientation of Lower Mantle Materials andSeismic Anisotropy in the D" LayerDaisuke Yamazaki and Shun-ichiro Karato 69Section II: Mineral Physics (Theoretical)Thermodynamic Properties and Stability Field of MgSiO3Post-PerovskiteRenata M. Wentzcovitch, Koichiro Umemoto, Taku Tsuchiya, and JunTsuchiya 79The High-Temperature Elasticity of MgSiO3 Post-PerovskiteStephen Stackhouse and John P. Brodholt 99Effect of Chemistry on the Physical Properties of Perovskite andPost-PerovskiteRazvan Caracas and Ronald E. Cohen 115Section III: SeismologyReconciling the Post-Perovskite Phase With SeismologicalObservations of Lowermost Mantle StructureThorne Lay and Edward J. Garnero 129Predicting a Global Perovskite and Post-Perovskite PhaseBoundaryDaoyuan Sun, Don Helmberger, Xiaodong Song, and Stephen P.Grand 155Seismic Anisotropy of Post-Perovskite and the LowermostMantleJames Wookey and John-Michael Kendall 171Constraints on the Presence or Absence of Post-Perovskite in theLowermost Mantle FromLong-Period SeismologyChristine Houser 191Section IV: DynamicsMantle Dynamics and the D" Layer: Impacts of the PostPerovskite PhaseW.R. Peltier 217Influence of the Post-Perovskite Transition on Thermal andThermo-Chemical Mantle ConvectionPaul J. Tackley, Takashi Nakagawa, and John W. Hernlund229The Dynamical Influences From Physical Properties in the LowerMantle and Post-PerovskitePhase TransitionDavid A. Yuen, Ctirad Matyska, Ondr¡ej C¡adek, andMasanori Kameyama 249Deformation-Induced Mechanical Instabilities at the Core-MantleBoundaryNick Petford, Tracy Rushmer, and David A. Yuen 271