The statistical geometry of amorphous silica at lower mantle pressures: implications for melting slopes of silicates and anharmonicity

Coordination changes occurring in amorphous silica have been studied by analysis of Voronoi and Delaunay tessellations of structures generated by molecular dynamics simulations up to pressures characteristic of the core-mantle boundary. These calculations predict the coexistence of a remarkable variety of silicon coordination environments at pressures above the mantle transition zone. -from Authors