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

根据该奖项，PI将研究在部分熔融岩石变形过程中发生的熔体通道化的物理机制和地球物理意义。随着变形驱动的熔体通道化的实验研究，边界和热力学条件可以被严格控制和系统地改变，以研究（i）变形驱动熔体偏析的机制，（ii）适合熔体偏析在自然界中发生的时间和长度尺度，以及（iii）变形驱动的熔体偏析对粘度，渗透率和地震结构的影响。高应变简单剪切和扭转剪切实验将在控制应力和温度下对特定粒度、熔体分数和熔体组成的样品进行。样品的机械和微观结构状态将被量化和相关，因为它们随着应变的增加而变化，并作为剪切应力和压实长度的函数。流变学和微观结构状态将使用各种成熟的技术进行量化。

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.