Si and O self-diffusion in hydrous forsterite and iron-bearing olivine from the perspective of defect chemistry

We discuss the experimental results of silicon and oxygen self-diffusion coefficients in forsterite and iron-bearing olivine from the perspective of defect chemistry. Silicon diffusion is dominated by V_O ^··-associated V_Si″″, whereas oxygen diffusion is dominated by hopping of V_O ^·· under anhydrous conditions, and by (OH)_O ^· under hydrous conditions. By considering the charge neutrality condition of (OH)_O ^·] = 2V_Me″] in hydrous forsterite and iron-bearing olivine, we get D _Si ∝ (\(C_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}}}\))^1/3 and D _O ∝ (\(C_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}}}\))⁰, which explains the experimental results of water effects on oxygen and silicon self-diffusion rates (Fei et al. in Nature 498:213–215, 2013; J Geophys Res 119:7598–7606, 2014). The \(C_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}}}\) dependence of creep rate in the Earth’s mantle should be close to that given by Si and O self-diffusion coefficients obtained under water unsaturated conditions.