Dynamics of ferroelastic domains in crystals and ceramics

Context

We are investigating the response of minerals to changing pressure (P) and temperature (T) across a range of length scales. Traditionally, mineralogists have studied structure at the atomic scale, e.g. the crystal structure of perovskites undergoing displacive phase transitions:

Recently, we have been focusing on the implications of mesoscopic scale structure in microstructured crystals, such as the domain structure in perovskites like LaAlO₃:

We believe that microstructure may dominate the physical and chemical properties of minerals at the global length scale. Could microstructural variations explain the seismic variations seen at the base of Earth's lower mantle?

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