Simulation of the Melting Behavior of MgSiO3 Perovskite Under Lower Mantle Conditions

The melting curve of MgSiO3 perovskite was simulated using molecular dynamics method combining with the effective pair potentials under the lower mantle conditions. It was shown that the state equation simulated for MgSiO3 perovskite is very successful in reproducing accurately the experimental data over a wide range of pressure. The pressure dependence of the simulated melting temperature of MgSiO3 perovskite is in agreement with the recent experimental data. The melting curve simulated for MgSiO3 is very steep at pressures below 60 GPa first, then it becomes smooth with increasing pressure. At the core mantle boundary pressure 135 GPa, MgSiO3 perovskite melts at 6500 K, which is significantly lower than that of the extrapolations of the experimental data from Zerr and Boehler.