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Melts and fluids: An overview of recent advances
Author(s) -
Brenan James M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/95rg00347
Subject(s) - astrobiology , context (archaeology) , planet , earth science , earth (classical element) , geology , physics , astrophysics , paleontology , mathematical physics
Owing to their capacity to transport mass and heat melts and low viscosity fluids profoundly influence such global processes as planetary heat loss, large and small‐scale planetary differentiation as well as affecting the evolution of oceans and atmospheres. As such, these materials play a key role in the physical and chemical volution of Earth, the terrestrial planets and the meteorite parent bodies. In this context, a review chapter that deals exclusively with recent advances in our understanding of the composition, properties, origin and volution of melts and fluids is clearly relevant. 1 Since 1991, a host of research advances has provided earth and planetary scientists with new and unique perspectives for understanding natural melts and low viscosity fluids. New instrumentation has provided the basis for several advances, and perhaps most notable is the development and application of reaction cells that allow measurement of melt or fluid properties in situ . Such devices have allowed workers to monitor properties at high pressure and temperature that are typically not preserved when samples are quenched to ambient conditions. In addition to the development of new machines, tried and true experimental and analytical technologies have also yielded significant new results on melts and fluids, largely as a result of their clever application to the solution of what had been longstanding problems in geochemistry and petrology. Although laboratory‐based measurements have provided the basis for many recent advances, it is also clear that the Earth still yields provocative samples for our study, and new insights have also been gained concerning the behavior of melts and fluids in natural processes based on recent documentation of previously unobserved melt and fluid compositions. Along with new technologies, clever experiments and unique samples, it is also notable that strides have been made in certain research areas enjoying a resurgence of activity following new and provocative developments. Provoked by controversial theoretical results, perhaps the most notable example of this has been an increased experimental effort aimed at evaluating whether equilibrium core segregation can account for the siderophile element abundances in Earth's upper mantle.