Seismic wavespeeds and attenuation in upper-mantle rocks: a laboratory study of the effect of partial melting

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Seismic wavespeeds and attenuation in upper-mantle rocks: a laboratory study of the effect of partial melting. The influence of partial melting on the seismic properties of the Earth's upper mantle will be explored through a laboratory study. Synthetic rock specimens consisting of the upper-mantle mineral olivine and a small proportion of basaltic magma will be prepared and their grain-scale melt distribution will be characterised. The seismic properties of these materials will be measured at high temperatures and seismic frequencies with novel locally developed equipment. Comparison with melt-free equivalents will allow the influence of the added magma to be quantified, allowing robust interpretation of seismological models of Earth structure with implications for its chemical and dynamical evolution.