Melt migration in a silicate liquid-olivine system - An experimental test of compaction theory

An experimentally derived melt migration profile is compared with those obtained from compaction theory. A couple is prepared in which a source-for-melt (a disk composed of a silicate glass and olivine) was placed in contact with a sink-for-melt (a disk of polycrystalline olivine) in order to induce melt migration under laboratory conditions. It is noted that melt infiltrates into the sink disk along triple junctions driven by capillary forces. In order to analyze the melt migration profile in terms of compaction theory, the equations developed by McKenzie (1984) to describe porous flow of a liquid in a deformable matrix were modified. The bouyancy force term is replaced with a capillary force term and governing equations are then solved numerically with the initial boundary conditions specified by the experimental design. Also, it is determined that compaction theory provides a good description of the experimental results provided that the permeability of these solid-liquid materials increases linearly with increasing liquid fraction.