The earth is a dynamic body with large scale movements of materials. At the microscopic level, convection is controlled by microscopic processes such as plasticity and rheology. Those processes give rise to geophysical observables like seismic and electrical anisotropy, which are intricately linked to crystal preferred orientation and structural development (e.g. layering), plus the intrinsic elasticity of minerals.

Recent years have seen many advances in the study of elasticity, plasticity, and rheology of minerals in the deep Earth, experimentally, with the development of ultra high pressure deformation and elasticity experiments, and numerically, using ab-initio calculations at high pressure and temperature.

This session will focus on the recent advances of mineral physics at in situ conditions of elasticity, plasticity and rheology and their implications for the interpretation of anisotropy of the deep Earth in terms of geodynamic processes.