Partially molten rocks, often called a mush, are examples of a hydrogranular mixture where the dynamics are controlled by both fluid and crystal‐crystal interactions. An obstacle to progress in understanding high‐temperature hydrogranular systems has been the lack of adequate levels of description of microphysical processes. Here we rationalize the hydrogranular kinematic and dynamic states by applying the concept of particle (crystal) force chains. We exemplify this with discrete‐element computational fluid dynamic simulations of the intrusion of a basaltic melt into an olivine‐basalt mush, where crystal‐scale force chains, crystal transport, and melt mixing are resolved. To describe the microscale kinematics of the system, we introduce the coordination number and the fabric tensors of particle contacts and forces. We quantify the changing contact and force fabric anisotropy, coaxiality, and the connectedness of the mush, under dynamic conditions. To describe the dynamics, particle and fluid characteristic response times are derived. These are used to define local and bulk Stokes numbers, and viscous and inertia numbers, which quantify the multiphase coupling under crystal‐rich conditions. We employ the Sommerfeld number, which describes the importance of crystal‐melt lubrication, with a viscous number to illustrate the dynamic regimes of crystal‐rich magmas. We show that the notion of mechanical “lock up” is not uniquely identified with a particular crystal volume fraction and that distinct mechanical behaviors can emerge simultaneously within a crystal‐rich system. We also posit that this framework describes magmatic fabrics and processes which “unlock” a crystal mush prior to eruption or mixing.
Magma mixing is widely recognized as a means of producing compositional diversity and preconditioning magmas for eruption. However, the processes and associated time scales that produce the commonly observed expressions of magma mixing are poorly understood, especially under crystal‐rich conditions. Here we introduce and exemplify a parameterized method to predict the characteristic mixing time of crystals in a crystal‐rich magma mush that is subject to open‐system reintrusion events. Our approach includes novel numerical simulations that resolve multiphase particle‐fluid interactions. It also quantifies the crystal mixing by calculating both the local and system‐wide progressive loss of the spatial correlation of individual crystals throughout the mixing region. Both inertial and viscous time scales for bulk mixing are introduced. Estimated mixing times are compared to natural examples and the time for basaltic mush systems to become well mixed can be on the order of 10 days.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.