Chemical gradient at diffusive interfaces in magma chambers

The results of high pressure experiments on diffusion and Soret separation in natural silicate melts show that the diffusive behaviour between natural silicic and mafic magmas can be approximately modelled as if the system were a binary mixture of SiO₂ and other components such as MgO+FeO+CaO. Steady state compositional profiles across a diffusive interface between silicic and mafic magma layers are calculated on the basis of phenomenological relationships for the fluxes of chemical species and heat in the binary mixtures, using the experimental data of diffusion and Soret coefficients in natural silicate melts. The compositional profiles show a curvature with a minimum SiO₂ value within the interface due to the Soret effect and temperature dependence of diffusion coefficient. The compositional gradient at the lower half of the diffusive interface is similar to that resulting from the Soret separation of a mafic melt regardless of the composition of the silicic magmas. These results suggest that picritic magma can be formed in the interfacial region between the mafic and silicic magma layers. The compositional gradient explains chemical variation of mafic to picritic inclusions in a mixed andesite of the Abu Volcano Group, Japan.