Collaborative Research: Advanced modeling for understanding fluid and magma migration in subduction zones

在俯冲带中，流体和固体的相互作用控制着一些最关键的地球化学和地球动力学过程。这些因素包括地幔的通量熔化和流体和岩浆的地球化学运输，地幔楔可能的流变减弱，以及地震活动性和断层力学的控制。固体地幔流动的定量模型已经开发出来，但对流体和熔体与固体的产生、输送和耦合相互作用进行数值模拟的工作相对较少。这需要一个更通用的计算框架，可以处理物理模型和输入参数空间中广泛的不确定性。该项目将继续开发TerraFERMA（透明有限元快速模型组装器），该组件将用于：量化俯冲带的潜在流体和固体流动路径；更好地理解反应性、开放系统助熔剂熔化；并研究了流体对固体流变学的影响。模型预测将根据一系列观测结果进行测试，这些观测结果从相对稳定的弧火山活动位置到这些地点产生的熔岩样本的成分。该项目的更广泛影响包括支持一位从事计算科学和地球科学交界工作的早期职业科学家，以及开发一种新的计算机代码，用于整合俯冲带的地球化学和地球化学动力学。由此产生的计算机代码将被纳入地球科学计算基础设施（Computational Infrastructure for Geosciences），该组织为科学目的提供对软件的开放访问。加深对俯冲带地幔变形、岩浆活动和地球热结构的了解，可以提高对大逆冲断层（标志着下行板块和周围地幔之间的边界）的脆性行为（地震）或多或少可能发生的认识。

The interactions of fluids and solids control some of the most critical geochemical and geodynamic processes in subduction zones. These include flux melting of the mantle and geochemical transport by fluids and magma, possible rheological weakening of the mantle wedge, and control of seismicity and fault mechanics. Quantitative models for the solid mantle flow have been developed but there has been relatively little work to numerically simulate the production, transport, and coupled interactions of fluids and melts with the solid. This requires a more general computational framework that can deal with a wide range of uncertainty both in the physical model and input parameter space. This project continues the development of TerraFERMA (the Transparent Finite Element Rapid Model Assembler), which will be used to: quantify potential fluid and solid flow paths at subduction zones; develop a better understanding of reactive, open system flux melting; and investigate the effects of fluids on solid-state rheology. Model predictions will be tested against a suite of observations from the relatively robust location of arc volcanism to the compositions of lava samples produced at these sites. Broader impacts of this project include support of an early career scientist working at the interface between computational and Earth science and the development of a new computer code for integrating geochemical and geochemical dynamics in subduction zones. The resulting computer code will be incorporated into holdings of Computational Infrastructure for Geosciences, which provides open access to software for scientific purposes. Increased understanding of mantle deformation, magmatism, and thermal structure of the Earth at subduction zones could lead to improved knowledge of where brittle behavior (earthquakes) is more or less likely along the megathrust fault that marks the boundary between the downgoing plate and the surrounding mantle.