Tilting and distortion of CaSnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> perovskite to 7 GPa determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction

The structural changes of CaSnO₃, a GdFeO₃-type perovskite, have been investigated to 7 GPa in a diamond-anvil cell at room temperature using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Significant changes are observed in both the octahedral Sn–O bond lengths and tilt angles between the SnO6 octahedra. The octahedral (SnO6) site shows anisotropic compression and consequently the distortion of SnO6 increases with pressure. Increased pressure also results in a decrease of both of the inter-octahedral angles, Sn–O1–Sn and Sn–O2–Sn, indicating that octahedral tilting increases with increasing pressure, chiefly equivalent to rotation of the SnO6 octahedra about the pseudocubic <001>_p axis. The distortion in the CaO12 and SnO6 sites, along with the octahedral SnO6 tilting, is attributed to the SnO6 site being less compressible than the CaO12 site.Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge with gratitude the financial support for this work from NSF grant EAR-0105864. Ruby pressure measurements were conducted with the Raman system in the Vibrational Spectroscopy Laboratory in the Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech with the help of Mr. Charles Farley.     

Determination of the phase boundary between ilmenite and perovskite in MgSiO3 by in situ X-ray diffraction and quench experiments

Determination of the phase boundary between ilmenite and perovskite structures in MgSiO₃ has been made at pressures between 18 and 24 GPa and temperatures up to 2000 °C by in situ X-ray diffraction measurements using synchrotron radiation and quench experiments. It was difficult to precisely define the phase boundary by the present in situ X-ray observations, because the grain growth of ilmenite hindered the estimation of relative abundances of these phases. Moreover, the slow reaction kinetics between these two phases made it difficult to determine the phase boundary by changing pressure and temperature conditions during in situ X-ray diffraction measurements. Nevertheless, the phase boundary was well constrained by quench method with a pressure calibration based on the spinel-postspinel boundary of Mg₂SiO₄ determined by in situ X-ray experiments. This yielded the ilmenite-perovskite phase boundary of P (GPa) = 25.0 (±0.2) – 0.003 T (°C) for a temperature range of 1200–1800 °C, which is generally consistent with the results of the present in situ X-ray diffraction measurements within the uncertainty of ∼±0.5 GPa. The phase boundary thus determined between ilmenite and perovskite phases in MgSiO₃ is slightly (∼0.5 GPa) lower than that of the spinel-postspinel transformation in Mg₂SiO₄. Received: 19 May 1999 / Accepted: 21 March 2000     

Equation of state, elasticity, and shear strength of pyrite under high pressure

 Physical properties including the equation of state, elasticity, and shear strength of pyrite have been measured by a series of X-ray diffraction in diamond-anvil cells at pressures up to 50 GPa. A Birch–Murnaghan equation of state fit to the quasihydrostatic pressure–volume data obtained from laboratory X-ray source/film techniques yields a quasihydrostatic bulk modulus K _0T =133.5 (±5.2) GPa and bulk modulus first pressure derivative K ^′ _0T =5.73 (±0.58). The apparent equation of state is found to be strongly dependent on the stress conditions in the sample. The stress dependency of the high-pressure properties is examined with anisotropic elasticity theory from subsequent measurements of energy-dispersive radial diffraction experiments in the diamond-anvil cell. The calculated values of K _0T depend largely upon the angle ψ between the diffracting plane normal and the maximum stress axis. The uniaxial stress component in the sample, t=σ₃−σ₁, varies with pressure as t=−3.11+0.43P between 10 and 30 GPa. The pressure derivatives of the elastic moduli dC ₁₁/dP=5.76 (±0.15), dC ₁₂/dP=1.41 (±0.11) and dC ₄₄/dP=1.92 (±0.06) are obtained from the diffraction data assuming previously reported zero-pressure ultrasonic data (C ₁₁=382 GPa, C ₁₂=31 GPa, and C ₄₄=109 GPa). Received: 21 December 2000 / Accepted: 11 July 2001     

Study on Al2O3 content and phase stability of aluminous-CaSiO3 perovskite at high pressure and temperature

 In order to clarify Al₂O₃ content and phase stability of aluminous CaSiO₃-perovskite, high-pressure and high-temperature transformations of Ca₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂ garnet (grossular) were studied using a MA8-type high-pressure apparatus combined with synchrotron radiation. Recovered samples were examined by analytical transmission electron microscopy. At pressures of 23–25 GPa and temperatures of 1000–1600 K, grossular garnet decomposed into a mixture of aluminum-bearing Ca-perovskite and corundum, although a metastable perovskite with grossular composition was formed when the heating duration was not long enough at 1000 K. On release of pressure, this aluminum-bearing CaSiO₃-perovskite transformed to the “LiNbO₃-type phase” and/or amorphous phase depending on its Al₂O₃ content. The structure of this LiNbO₃-type phase is very similar to that of LiNbO₃ but is not identical. CaSiO₃-perovskite with 8 to 25 mol% Al₂O₃ was quenched to alternating lamellae of amorphous layer and LiNbO₃-type phase. On the other hand, a quenched product from CaSiO₃-perovskite with less than 6 mol% consisted only of amorphous phase. Most of the inconsistencies amongst previous studies could be explained by the formation of perovskite with grossular composition, amorphous phase, and the LiNbO₃-type phase. Received: 11 April 2001 / Accepted: 5 July 2002     

Elasticity of an upper mantle clinopyroxene

The ambient pressure elastic properties of a natural clinopyroxene (C2/c symmetry) from Kilbourne Hole, NM have been determined. In terms of end-members, diopside (CaMgSi₂O₆), hedenbergite (CaFeSi₂O₆), jadeite (NaAlSi₂O₆), cosmochlor (NaCrSi₂O₆), and Mg-Tschermak (MgAl(AlSi)O₆), its composition is Di₇₂He₉Jd₃Cr₃Ts₁₂. The analytic density, based on chemistry and cell parameters is 3.327 (0.003) g/cm³. The elastic constants [c₁₁, c₁₂, c₁₃, c₁₅, c₂₂, c₂₃, c₂₅, c₃₃, c₃₅, c₄₄, c₄₆, c₅₅, c₆₆] are [273.8 (0.9), 83.5 (1.3), 80.0 (1.1), 9.0 (0.6), 183.6 (0.9), 59.9 (1.6), 9.5 (1.0), 229.5 (0.9), 48.1 (0.6), 76.5 (0.9), 8.4 (0.8), 73.0 (0.4), 81.6 (1.0)] GPa where uncertainties are reported at the 95% confidence level. The aggregate (mean of Hashin-Strikman bounds) adiabatic bulk modulus is 117.2 (0.7) GPa, and the shear modulus is 72.2 (0.2) GPa. Although measured moduli are broadly consistent with trends in elasticity versus atomic volume, deviations from the systematics would produce significant (percent level) changes in calculated velocities for candidate mantle mineral assemblages. The compositional dependence of elasticity for several clinopyroxenes is explored on the basis of just the Di+He and Jd+Ts mole fractions. The bulk modulus lies within experimental uncertainties of the linear mixture of end-member properties while the shear modulus deviates by 3%. Received: 29 September 1997 / Revised, accepted: 4 March 1998     

Calorimetric study of perovskite solid solutions in the CaSiO3–CaGeO3 system

 Enthalpies of drop solution (ΔH _drop-sol) of CaGeO₃, Ca(Si_0.1Ge_0.9)O₃, Ca(Si_0.2Ge_0.8)O₃, Ca(Si_0.3Ge_0.7)O₃ perovskite solid solutions and CaSiO₃ wollastonite were measured by high-temperature calorimetry using molten 2PbO · B₂O₃ solvent at 974 K. The obtained values were extrapolated linearly to the CaSiO₃ end member to give ΔH _drop-sol of CaSiO₃ perovskite of 0.2 ± 4.4 kJ mol⁻¹. The difference in ΔH _drop-sol between CaSiO₃, wollastonite, and perovskite gives a transformation enthalpy (wo → pv) of 104.4 ± 4.4 kJ mol⁻¹. The formation enthalpy of CaSiO₃ perovskite was determined as 14.8 ± 4.4 kJ mol⁻¹ from lime + quartz or −22.2 ± 4.5 kJ mol⁻¹ from lime + stishovite. A comparison of lattice energies among A²⁺B⁴⁺O₃ perovskites suggests that amorphization during decompression may be due to the destabilizing effect on CaSiO₃ perovskite from a large nonelectrostatic energy (repulsion energy) at atmospheric pressure. By using the formation enthalpy for CaSiO₃ perovskite, phase boundaries between β-Ca₂SiO₄ + CaSi₂O₅ and CaSiO₃ perovskite were calculated thermodynamically utilizing two different reference points [where ΔG(P,T )=0] as the measured phase boundary. The calculations suggest that the phase equilibrium boundary occurs between 11.5 and 12.5 GPa around 1500 K. Its slope is still not well constrained. Received: 20 September 2000 / Accepted: 17 January 2001     

High-pressure phase transformations in the MgFe2O4 and Fe2O3–MgSiO3 systems

 The crystal structure of MgFe₂O₄ was investigated by in situ X-ray diffraction at high pressure, using YAG laser annealing in a diamond anvil cell. Magnesioferrite undergoes a phase transformation at about 25 GPa, which leads to a CaMn₂O₄-type polymorph about 8% denser, as determined using Rietveld analysis. The consequences of the occurrence of this dense MgFe₂O₄ form on the high-pressure phase transformations in the (MgSi)_0.75(Fe^III)_0.5O₃ system were investigated. After laser annealing at about 20 GPa, we observe decomposition to two phases: stishovite and a spinel-derived structure with orthorhombic symmetry and probably intermediate composition between MgFe₂O₄ and Mg₂SiO₄. At pressures above 35 GPa, we observe recombination of these products to a single phase with Pbnm perovskite structure. We thus conclude for the formation of Mg₃Fe₂Si₃O₁₂ perovskite. Received: 27 March 2000 / Accepted: 1 October 2000     

High-pressure transformations of ilmenite to perovskite, and lithium niobate to perovskite in zinc germanate

In-situ X-ray powder diffraction measurements conducted under high pressure confirmed the existence of an unquenchable orthorhombic perovskite in ZnGeO₃. ZnGeO₃ ilmenite transformed into perovskite at 30.0 GPa and 1300±150 K in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. After releasing the pressure, the lithium niobate phase was recovered as a quenched product. The perovskite was also obtained by recompression of the lithium niobate phase at room temperature under a lower pressure than the equilibrium phase boundary of the ilmenite–perovskite transition. Bulk moduli of ilmenite, lithium niobate, and perovskite phases were calculated on the basis of the refined X-ray diffraction data. The structural relations among these phases are considered in terms of the rotation of GeO₆ octahedra. A slight rotation of the octahedra plays an important role for the transition from lithium niobate to perovskite at ambient temperature. On the other hand, high temperature is needed to rearrange GeO₆ octahedra in the ilmenite–perovskite transition. The correlation of quenchability with rotation angle of GeO₆ octahedra for other germanate perovskites is also discussed.     

Single-crystal hydrostatic compression of synthetic pyrope, almandine, spessartine, grossular and andradite garnets at high pressures

The compression of synthetic pyrope Mg₃Al₂ (SiO₄)₃, almandine Fe₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃, spessartine Mn₃Al₂ (SiO₄)₃ grossular Ca₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃ and andradite Ca₃Fe₂ (SiO₄)₃ was studied by loading the crystals together in a diamond anvil cell. The unit-cell parameters were determined as a function of pressure by X-ray diffraction up to 15 GPa using neon as a pressure transmitting medium. The unit-cell parameters of pyrope and almandine were measured up to 33 and 21 GPa, respectively, using helium as a pressure medium. The bulk moduli, K _{T 0}, and their first pressure derivatives, K _{T 0} ^′, were simultaneously determined for all five garnets by fitting the volume data to a third order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state. Both parameters can be further constrained through a comparison of volume compressions between pairs of garnets, giving for K _{T 0} and K _{T 0} ^′ 171(2) GPa and 4.4(2) for pyrope, 185(3) GPa and 4.2(3) for almandine, 189(1) GPa and 4.2 for spessartine, 175(1) GPa and 4.4 for grossular and 157(1) GPa and 5.1 for andradite, where the K _{T 0} ^′ are fixed in the case of spessartine, grossular and andradite. Direct comparisons of the unit-cell volumes determined at high pressures between pairs of garnets reveal anomalous compression behavior for Mg²⁺ in the 8-fold coordinated triangular dodecahedron in pyrope. This agrees with previous studies concerning the compression behaviors of Mg²⁺ in 6-fold coordinated polyhedra at high pressures. The results show that simple bulk modulus–volume systematics are not obeyed by garnets. Received: 29 July 1998 / Revised, accepted: 7 April 1999     

Structural investigations of (Ca,Sr)ZrO<Subscript>3</Subscript> and Ca(Sn,Zr)O<Subscript>3</Subscript> perovskite compounds

(Ca _x ,Sr_1?x )ZrO₃ and Ca(Sn _y ,Zr_1-y )O₃ solid solutions were synthesized by solid-state reaction at high temperature before to be studied by powder X-ray diffraction and Raman Spectroscopy. Diffraction data allow the distortion of the ABO₃ perovskite structure to be investigated according to cations substitution on A and B-sites. It is shown that distortion, characterized by Φ, the tilt angle of BO₆ octahedra, slightly increases with decreasing y content in Ca(Sn _y ,Zr_1?y )O₃ compounds and strongly decreases with decreasing x content in (Ca _x ,Sr_1?x )ZrO₃ compounds. Such results are discussed in view of the relative A and B cation sizes. Raman data show that vibrational spectra are strongly affected by the cation substitution on A-site; the frequencies of most vibrational modes increase with increasing x content in (Ca _x ,Sr_1?x )ZrO₃ compounds, i.e. with the decreasing mean size of the A-cation; the upper shift is observed for the 358 cm^?1 mode (?ν/?r = ?60.1 cm^?1/Å). On the other hand, the cation substitution on B-sites, slightly affect the spectra; it is shown that in most cases, the frequency of vibrational modes increases with increasing y content in Ca(Sn _y ,Zr_1?y )O₃ compounds, i.e. with the decreasing mean size of the B-cation, but that two modes (287 and 358 cm^?1) behave differently: their frequencies decrease with the decreasing mean size of the B-cation, with a shift respectively equal to +314 and +162 cm^?1/Å. Such results could be used to predict the location of different elements such as trivalent cations or radwaste elements on A- or B-site, in the perovskite structure.     

In situ X-ray observations of the decomposition of brucite and the graphite–diamond conversion in aqueous fluid at high pressure and temperature

 An experimental technique to make real-time observations at high pressure and temperature of the diamond-forming process in candidate material of mantle fluids as a catalyst has been established for the first time. In situ X-ray diffraction experiments using synchrotron radiation have been performed upon a mixture of brucite [Mg(OH)₂] and graphite as starting material. Brucite decomposes into periclase (MgO) and H₂O at 3.6 GPa and 1050 °C while no periclase is formed after the decomposition of brucite at 6.2 GPa and 1150 °C, indicating that the solubility of the MgO component in H₂O greatly increases with increasing pressure. The conversion of graphite to diamond in aqueous fluid has been observed at 7.7 GPa and 1835 °C. Time-dependent X-ray diffraction profiles for this transformation have been successfully obtained. Received: 17 July 2001 / Accepted: 18 February 2002     

High-pressure Raman spectroscopic study of chondrodite

Variation of Raman spectra of both natural (F-bearing) and synthetic (F-free) chondrodite samples were studied up to 400 kbar at room temperature. Ambient Raman frequencies for the synthetic sample are in general lower than those for the natural one. This is correlated with a slight expansion of the volume of the synthetic sample due to substitution of OH for F. The frequencies of all Raman bands for both samples increase monotonically with increasing pressure. The positive pressure dependences in the O−H stretch frequencies for both F-free and F-bearing samples are contrary to those for other dense hydrous magnesium silicates. A mechanism involving both the hydrogen-hydrogen repulsion and hydrogen bondings is proposed to explain the abnormal behavior. The effects of substitution of F for OH on both the ambient and high-pressure Raman spectra of chondrodite are also discussed. Received: 19 February 1998 / Revised accepted: 26 June 1998     

Solid solubility in the system NaLREETi2O6– ThTi2O6 (LREE, light rare-earth elements): experimental and analytical data

The existence of an incomplete solid solution series between loparite (NaLREETi₂O₆), a member of the perovskite mineral group, and thorutite (ThTi₂O₆) is established on the basis of experimental and mineralogical data. The products of low- and high-pressure synthesis in the system NaLaTi₂O₆– ThTi₂O₆ were studied by energy-dispersive spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry and Rietveld analysis. At atmospheric pressure, Th is incorporated in loparite as both ThTi₂O₆ and Na₂ThTi₃O₉. In synthetic systems, the maximum determined ThTi₂O₆ content of loparite is 18 mol%, with a corresponding A-site cation deficiency of 9%. The structure of such loparite is tetragonal and presumably derived from the cubic aristotype by octahedral rotation [I4/mcm, a=5.4652(1) Å, c=7.7476(2) Å]. At a pressure of 6 GPa, no solubility between loparite and ThTi₂O₆ is observed, and Th is accommodated in the loparite structure entirely as Na₂ThTi₃O₉ (up to 30 mol%). Naturally occurring loparite contains up to 29 mol% ThTi₂O₆, based on the conventional method of analysis recalculation, or 23.5 mol% ThTi₂O₆, assuming the presence of protons at the vacant A-sites. ThTi₂O₆ synthesized by the solid-state reaction, crystallizes with monoclinic symmetry [C2/m, a=9.8140(2) Å, b=3.8228(1) Å, c=7.0313(2) Å,β=118.82(1)°]. Atomic coordinates for ThTi₂O₆ obtained in this study from X-ray powder data, as well as structural parameters derived from the new data, are in a good agreement with those known from single-crystal refinement. ThTi₂O₆ does not crystallize at high pressure, and Th is accommodated in perovskite-type compounds and cubic ThO₂ that provide a twelve- and eight-fold coordination site for Th, respectively.     

Raman spectroscopic study of hydroxyl-clinohumite at various pressures and temperatures

 Variations of Raman spectra of hydroxyl-clinohumite were studied up to ∼370 kbar at room temperature, and in the range 81–873 K at atmospheric pressure. With the exception of the symmetric OH-stretch bands, the Raman frequencies of all bands were observed to increase monotonically with increasing pressure, and decrease with increasing temperature. This behavior is in line with those observed for other humite members (norbergite and chondrodite) so far studied. The symmetric OH-stretching band shows a mode softening with increasing pressure, and splits into two bands at either high pressure or low temperature. In the quasihydrostatic experiment, the compression and decompression paths of one of the asymmetric OH-stretch bands form a hysteresis loop, but the same behavior was not observed in the nonhydrostatic experiment. These results indicate that the two kinds of OH groups in hydroxyl-clinohumite have nonequivalent movement paths on compression, and with one OH group experiencing a release of spatial hindrance during compression. This behavior appears to be modified by shear stress. The same complication of the OH groups was not observed in the temperature variation study. The pressure and temperature variations of the Raman frequencies for the various vibrations involving the SiO₄ tetrahedra and MgO₆ octahedra below ∼1000 cm⁻¹ for clinohumite behave similarly to other hydrous magnesium silicates. On the basis of the relationship between isothermal bulk modulus and Raman data, it is suggested that the linear pressure dependences of vibrational frequencies of various Raman bands reported in the literature are inadequate. Received: 20 March 1999 / Revised, accepted: 24 August 1999     

Structural and vibrational behaviour of fluorapatite with pressure. Part II: in situ micro-Raman spectroscopic investigation

 High-pressure Raman investigations were carried out on a synthetic fluorapatite up to about 7 GPa to analyse the behaviour of the phosphate group's internal modes and of its lattice modes. The Raman frequencies of all modes increased with pressure and a trend toward reduced splitting was observed for the PO₄-stretching modes [(ν_3a(A_g) and ν_3b(A_g); ν_3a(E_2g) and ν_3b(E_2g)] and the PO₄ out-of-plane bending modes [ν_4a(A_g) and ν_4b(A_g)]. The pressure coefficients of phosphate modes ranged from 0.0047 to 0.0052 GPa⁻¹ for ν₃, from 0.0025 to 0.0044 GPa⁻¹ for ν₄, from 0.0056 to 0.0086 GPa⁻¹ for ν₂ and 0.0046 for ν₁ GPa⁻¹, while the pressure coefficients of lattice modes ranged from 0.0106 to 0.0278 GPa⁻¹. The corresponding Grüneisen parameters varied from 0.437 to 0.474, 0.428, 0.232 to 0.409 and 0.521 to 0.800 for phosphate modes ν₃, ν₁, ν₄, ν₂, respectively, and from 0.99 to 2.59 for lattice modes. The vibrational behaviour was interpreted in view of the high-pressure structural refinement performed on the same crystal under the same experimental conditions. The reduced splitting may thus be linked to the reduced distortion of the environment around the phosphate tetrahedron rather than to the decrease of the tetrahedral distortion itself. Moreover, the amount of calcium polyhedral compression, which is about three times the compression of phosphate tetrahedra, may explain the different Grüneisen parameters. Received: 25 April 2000 / Accepted: 20 December 2000     

Phase transition of synthetic zinc ferrite spinel (ZnFe2O4) at high pressure, from synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction

 Synthetic Zn-ferrite (ideally ZnFe₂O₄; mineral name: franklinite) was studied up to 37 GPa, by X-ray powder diffraction at ESRF (Grenoble, France), on the ID9 beamline; high pressure was achieved by means of a DAC. The P-V equation of state of franklinite was investigated using the Birch-Murnaghan function, and the elastic properties thus inferred [K₀ = 166.4(±3.0) GPa K₀ ^′ = 9.3(±0.6) K₀ ^″ = −0.22 GPa⁻¹] are compared with earlier determinations for MgAl-spinel and magnetite. The structural behaviour of Zn-ferrite as a function of pressure was studied by Rietveld refinements, and interpreted in the light of a phase transition from spinel to either CaTi₂O₄- or MnFe₂O₄-like structure; this transformation occurs above 24 GPa. Received: 15 March 1999 / Accepted: 22 April 2000     

Compression of Fe3C to 30 GPa at room temperature

Polycrystalline Fe₃C (cementite) was compressed in a neon pressure medium to 30.5 GPa at 300 K using diamond-anvil cell techniques. Angular dispersive X-ray diffraction of Fe₃C was measured using monochromatic synchrotron radiation and imaging plates. No phase transition was observed up to the highest pressure studied. The pressure–volume data were fitted to a third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state. With V ₀ constrained to a measured value of 155.28 ų, the best fit yielded a 300-K isothermal bulk modulus K ₀ = 174 ± 6 GPa, and its pressure derivative at constant temperature K ₀ ^′ =(K ₀ /P) _T = 4.8±0.8.     

SrTiO3基钙钛矿结构X射线衍射谱特征

通过对常规电子陶瓷工艺合成的Sr1-xCaxTiO3和Sr1-xPbxTiO3钙钛矿结构陶瓷进行研究X射线衍射谱特征、晶体结构和衍射强度I100/I110进行研究,并根据原子散射因子与衍射强度关系,提出用衍射强度I100/I110变化规律预测ABO3钙钛矿结构中置换A位离子种类的方法.     

Thermoelastic properties of the high-pressure phase of SnO2 determined by in situ X-ray observations up to 30 GPa and 1400 K

 In situ synchrotron X-ray experiments in the system SnO₂ were made at pressures of 4–29 GPa and temperatures of 300–1400 K using sintered diamond anvils in a 6–8 type high-pressure apparatus. Orthorhombic phase (α-PbO₂ structure) underwent a transition to a cubic phase (Pa3ˉ structure) at 18 GPa. This transition was observed at significantly lower pressures in DAC experiments. We obtained the isothermal bulk modulus of cubic phase K ₀= 252(28) GPa and its pressure derivative K ^′=3.5(2.2). The thermal expansion coefficient of cubic phase at 25 GPa up to 1300 K was determined from interpolation of the P-V-T data obtained, and is 1.7(±0.7) × 10⁻⁵ K⁻¹ at 25 GPa. Received: 7 December 1999 / Accepted: 27 April 2000     

Compression mechanisms of coesite

 The structure of coesite has been determined at ten pressures up to a maximum of 8.68 GPa by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The dominant mechanism of compression is the reduction of four of the five independent Si–O–Si angles within the structure. There is no evidence of the fifth linkage, Si1–O1–Si1, deviating from 180°. Some Si–O bond distances also decrease by up to 1.6% over the pressure range studied. The pattern of Si–O–Si angle reduction amounts to a rotation of the Si2 tetrahedron around the [001] direction. This rotation induces significant internal deformation of the Si1 tetrahedron. Comparison of the experimental data with rigid-unit distance least-squares simulations of coesite suggests that this pattern of compression, the anomalous positive values of both s₂₃ and K′′ in the equation of state of coesite, its high elastic anisotropy and the unusual straight Si1–O1–Si1 linkage within the structure are all consequences of the connectivity of the tetrahedral framework. Received: 11 July 2002 / Accepted: 14 January 2003 Acknowledgements The help of Christian Baerlocher of ETH Zurich in providing both the DLS-76 software and advice in its use is gratefully acknowledged, as are discussions with Paul Ribbe of Virginia Tech and the comments of two anonymous reviewers. The data analysis was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant EAR-0105864 to N.L. Ross and R.J. Angel.