Stress-driven Melt Segregation and Strain Partitioning in Partially Molten Rocks: Effects of Stress and Strain

The evolution of melt segregation in deforming partially moltenolivine-rich rocks has been studied in a series of laboratoryexperiments. During deformation, melt segregates into networksof anastamosing channels (or ‘bands’) surroundinglenses of melt-depleted material. We quantify the nature ofthe melt distribution in the samples, including thickness, angle,spacing, volume fraction, and melt fraction of melt-rich bands,to understand the dynamics of melt-network organization. Twoseries of experiments were designed to isolate the effects of(1) increasing shear strain (at similar stress levels), and(2) varying stress levels (deformed to similar shear strains).Melt-rich bands develop by a shear strain of unity. In samplesdeformed at varying stress levels, higher stress produces smallercharacteristic band spacings. We relate these variations tothe compaction length, _c, which varies only as a result of thereduction of matrix viscosity with increasing stress. Simpleapproaches to scaling from experimental to mantle conditionssuggest that stress-driven melt segregation can occur in theasthenosphere; if so, it will significantly affect rheological,transport and seismic properties, with enticing consequencesfor our understanding of plate–mantle interactions. KEY WORDS: melt segregation; rock rheology; magma transport; self-organization; mid-ocean ridges