Experimental Determination of Major Element Diffusivity in Natural High-K Calc-alkaline Melts
Abstract
Chemical diffusion is of major importance in several magmatic processes and, as a time dependent process, can be used as a timescale indicator. In particular, the study of diffusive exchange in magma mixing events leading to explosive volcanic eruptions has the potential shed light on timescales involved in such processes. To achieve this, a basic knowledge of diffusion rates in different natural silicate melts with a variety of conditions is mandatory. We use a set of diffusion couple experiments to quantify the influence of dissolved water content in the interdiffusion of major elements between two natural high-K calc-alkaline end-members: a shoshonite and a rhyolite from Vulcano island (Aeolian archipelago, Italy). Experiments are run using AuPd alloy capsules at 1200 °C and pressures of 0.5, 1 and 3 kbar, with variable added water content (`nominally dry', 1wt. % and 2 wt.% H2O), and finished by a rapid quench in order to avoid crystal formation. Run products are analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy and electron microprobe, and final diffusion coefficients are obtained from the evaluation of composition-distance profiles by a modified Boltzmann-Matano analysis. Among measured major elements (Si, Ti, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, K), dissolved H2O content in the melt has the highest influence in diffusivity in our experimental setup: a difference of up to 1.4 orders of magnitude is observed between 0.3 and 2 wt. % H2O bearing glasses. In the investigated range, enhancement of diffusion is higher in the lower water contents and slightly diminishes to 2 wt. %. Compositional gradients result in a 0.4 to 0.8 log units increase of diffusivity in the mafic terms relative to the silicic ones. Si and Ti are the slowest diffusing components. Al is also a slow diffusing component and displays uphill diffusion. The diffusivities of the other elements follow similar behavior, suggesting a strong influence of crossed diffusion and coupling.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFMMR51A2688G
- Keywords:
-
- 3904 Defects;
- MINERAL PHYSICSDE: 3630 Experimental mineralogy and petrology;
- MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGYDE: 5120 Plasticity;
- diffusion;
- and creep;
- PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKSDE: 5139 Transport properties;
- PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS