Energetics of melts from thermal diffusion studies. Final report

Most processes in geology are a consequence at some level of the flow of energy or mass. Heat conduction and chemical diffusion are examples of two of these sorts of flows which are driven by temperature and chemical potential imbalances, respectively. In the general case these flows may be coupled so that, for instance, a temperature gradient may result in a flow of mass as well as heat. This effect in liquids was demonstrated by Soret (1879) and bears his name. In gases or solids the phenomenon is given the general name thermal diffusion. It was the purpose of this research program to examine the Soret effect in molten silicates under laboratory conditions. Results of these experiments are used to evaluate the form and quantitative values of many thermodynamic and kinetic properties of silicate melts over a range of temperature, pressure, and bulk composition. The author published a comprehensive review and synthesis with a microscopic theoretical explanation for the effect at low pressure in silicate liquids of geological interest. He conducted experimental investigations of molecular diffusion in the absence of a thermal gradient through experiments involving dissolution of solid silicates in molten silicate and interdiffusion of species between miscible silicate liquids. Collectively these results enable the author to construct a more comprehensive model of molecular diffusion in magmatic liquids. He has applied this model to problems of magma mixing and crustal assimilation