Thermal diffusivity of igneous rocks at elevated pressure and temperature

Journal Article · Sat Oct 10 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JB092iB11p11615· OSTI ID:5515857

Durham, W B; Mirkovich, V V; Heard, H C

Thermal diffusivity measurements of seven igneous rocks were made to temperatures of 400 /sup 0/C and pressures of 200 MPa. The measuring method was based on the concept of cylindrical symmetry and periodic heat pulses. The seven rocks measured were Westerly (Rhode Island) granite, Climax Stock (Nevada) quartz monzonite, Pomona (Washington) basalt, Atikokan (Ontario, Canada) granite, Creighton (Ontario, Canada) gabbro, East Bull Lake (Ontario, Canada) gabbro, and Stripa (Sweden) granite. The diffusivity of all the rocks showed a positive linear dependence on inverse temperature and, excluding the East Bull Lake gabbro, showed a linear dependence on quartz content. (Quartz content varied from 0 to 31% by volume.) Diffusivity in all cases rose or remained steady with increasing confining pressure. The pressure effect was strongest at lowest pressures and vanished by levels between 10 and 100 MPa, depending on rock type. The pressure effect (measured as a percentage change in diffusivity) is stronger in the four rocks of granite composition than in the three of basaltic composition. Our results agree well with existing thermal diffusivity measurements at atmospheric pressure.

• Research Organization: University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California
• OSTI ID: 5515857
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 92:B11; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580300* -- Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IGNEOUS ROCKS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
ROCKS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL DIFFUSIVITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
VERY HIGH PRESSURE