Physical property changes during partial melting of synthesized lherzolite

Abstract

To understand how partial melting changes the electrical conductivity and viscosity of ascending mantle (ex. beneath mid-ocean ridge), we measured both properties of synthesized lherzolite samples at high temperature under atmospheric pressure. At below solidus, the conductivity and viscosity of samples exhibited a linear distribution in its Arrhenius plot with almost same activation energy (~ 180 kJ/mol and ~ 700 kJ/mol for conductivity and viscosity, respectively). At above solidus, the conductivity and viscosity showed steeper change with temperature increase. The observed increment in conductivity and decrement of viscosity are considered to be related to the increment of melt fraction.