The electrical conductivity of upper-mantle rocks: water content in the upper mantle

The electrical conductivity of upper-mantle rocks—dunite, pyroxenite, and lherzolite—was measured at ∼2–3 GPa and ∼1,273–1,573 K using impedance spectra within a frequency range of 0.1–10⁶ Hz. The oxygen fugacity was controlled by a Mo–MoO₂ solid buffer. The results indicate that the electrical conductivity of lherzolite and pyroxenite are approximately half and one order of magnitude higher than that of dunite, respectively. A preliminary model involving water and iron content effects on the electrical conductivity was derived and is summarized by the relation: The results also indicate that pyroxenes dominate the bulk conductivity of upper mantle in hydrous conditions and suggest the maximum water content in oceanic upper mantle is as high as ∼0.09 wt%.