The present study is based on a series of two-dimensional simple shear numerical simulations of two-phase non-linear viscous materials used to investigate the mechanical behaviour of two-phase aggregates representing partially molten rocks. These simulations couple viscoplastic deformation with dynamic recrystallisation (DRX). The aim of these simulations is to investigate the competition between deformation and recrystallisation, and how they affect the mechanical behaviour and resulting microstructures of the deforming material. We systematically vary the melt to solid rock ratio, the dihedral angle of melt and the ratio of DRX vs. deformation. The results show that the amount of DRX and the dihedral angle have a first-order impact on the bulk rheology and the melt distribution in the aggregate. The numerical results allow defining two regimes, depending on the relative contribution deformation and DRX: (1) a deformation-dominated regime at high strain rates (i.e., with a low ratio of recrystallisation vs. viscoplastic deformation) and (2) a recrystallisationdominated regime at low strain rates (i.e., with a high ratio of recrystallisation vs. viscoplastic deformation). The first case results in systems bearing large connected melt pockets whose viscous flow controls the deformation of the aggregate, while disconnected smaller melt pockets develop in models where dynamic recrystallisation dominates. The results of this study allow us to better understand the development of connected melt pockets, which may focus melt flow. The distribution of the melt phase plays a key role in the formation of larger scale melt-enriched shear bands, which in turn has a direct influence on large-scale convective mantle flow.
International audienceIn this study, we test experimentally the role of compositional layering as a key parameter for controlling melt flow in a natural migmatite during coaxial deformation. We performed in – situ pure-shear experiments on two natural gneisses. The first gneiss is weakly foliated with minerals homogenously distributed. The second gneiss shows a pronounced compositional layering of alternating quartz – feldspar – rich and biotite – muscovite – rich layers. Experimental conditions were selected to obtain homogeneous melt distribution in the homogeneous gneiss and heterogeneous melt distribution in the layered gneiss. Initial melt distribution is not modified by deformation in experiments on the homogeneous gneiss, implying that melting products did not migrate from their initiation sites. In contrast, melt flowed in shear zones or in inter-boudin positions during experimental deformation of the heterogeneous gneiss. These experiments attest to the strong influence of initial gneissic layering on melting pattern, melt segregation and flow during deformation of partially molten rocks
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