Experimental Determination Of The Influence Of Melt Structure On Trace Element Partitioning During Peridotite Melting Beneath Mid-Ocean Ridges

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

The PI proposes to conduct experiments on the melting of peridotite in order to quantitatively determine the effect of melt structure on trace element partitioning at the peridotite, solidus at pressures of 1.5 to 3.0 Gpa. The experiments will test the hypothesis that isobaric differences in trace element partitioning can be related to differences in the extent of polymerization of the melt-to be evaluated with new measurements of viscosity. The experiments will be carried out on appropriate bulk compositions doped with a few ppm of the elements of interest (a range of REE, LIL, and I-IFSE), with analyses of partitioning to be done with the ion microprobe on cpx, opx, and garnet and glass in quenched experimental charges. The results will have numerous applications to melting in the earth's mantle.