Collaborative Research: Laboratory Constraints on the Relations Among Deformation, Permeability, and Melt Migration

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of this experimental study is to understand the relation between deformation and melt migration in partially molten rocks and to find out how melt actually moves as a function of varying temperature, stress, lithostatic pressure, magma pressure, strain rate, and time. Partly molten rocks will be tested in hydrostatic melt extraction experiments under conditions of varying pressure, with one or two solid phases, and with melt of variable amount and viscosity, which will result in significant differences in permeability in different experiments. Triaxial deformation experiments will also be carried out at variable temperatures, melt percents, and strain rates. Samples will be carefully examined before and after the experiments to evaluate physical properties. Permeabilities will be measured directly in some of the experiments. Results will be evaluated in light of previous experiments and theoretical considerations.