Channelizing Melt during Deformation of Partially Molten Rocks with Application to Mid-Ocean Ridges

根据该奖项，PI将调查在部分熔融岩石变形期间发生的熔体沟道化的物理机制和地球物理影响。通过对变形驱动熔体沟道化的实验研究，可以严格控制和系统地改变边界和热力学条件，以研究(I)变形驱动熔体分凝的机制，(Ii)自然界中发生熔体分凝的时间和长度尺度，以及(Iii)变形驱动熔体分凝对粘度、渗透率和地震结构的影响。高应变的简单剪切和扭转剪切实验将在受控应力和温度下对特定颗粒尺寸、熔体分数和熔体成分的样品进行。随着应变的增加，以及作为剪应力和压实长度的函数，试件的力学状态和微观结构状态都将被量化和关联。流变学和微观结构状态将使用各种经过验证的技术进行量化。

Under this award, the PI will investigate the physical mechanisms and geophysical implications of melt channelization that occurs during deformation of partially molten rocks. With experimental investigations of deformation-driven melt channelization, the boundary and thermodynamic conditions can be rigorously controlled and systematically varied, to study (i) the mechanism by which deformation drives melt segregation, (ii) the time and length scales appropriate for melt segregation to occur in nature, and (iii) the effects of deformation-driven melt segregation on viscosity, permeability and seismic structures. High-strain simple shear and torsional shear experiments will be carried out on samples of specific grain sizes, melt fractions, and melt compositions at controlled stresses and temperatures. Both the mechanical and the microstructural state of the samples will be quantified and correlated as they evolve with increasing strain and as functions of shear stress and compaction length. The rheological and microstructural, states will be quantified using a variety of proven techniques.