Miki Tasaka

Influence of mineral fraction on the rheological properties of forsterite + enstatite during grain size sensitive creep: 3. Application of grain growth and flow laws on peridotite ultramylonite

Microstructures of a layered peridotite ultramylonite from the Oman ophiolite are compared with that of experimentally deformed samples. Average grain sizes and grain size ratios of olivine and pyroxene from each layer are compared with respect to the fraction of pyroxene (fpx) in the layer. Grain size of the pyroxene is almost constant among different fpx layers, whereas olivine grain size decreases significantly with increasing fpx, both of which were characteristic features found in forsterite + enstatite aggregates after grain growth experiments (Tasaka and Hiraga, 2013). Furthermore, the Zener relationship (log dol/dpx versus log fpx) found in the ultramylonite is remarkably comparable to that observed in our experiments. These observations indicate effective pinning of olivine grain growth due to the presence of pyroxene grains during the deformation of the rocks. Olivine grains in layers with fpx ≥ 0.03 do not exhibit lattice-preferred orientation (LPO), whereas the grains in layers with fpx < 0.03 exhibit LPO, indicating that deformation proceeded via diffusion- and dislocation-accommodated creep in the former and the latter layers, respectively. We simulated the evolution of grain size and viscosity in the shear zone based on our grain growth and flow laws obtained for diffusion creep of forsterite + enstatite (Tasaka and Hiraga, 2013; Tasaka et al., 2013) and successfully reproduced the observed grain sizes in the ultramylonite. We therefore conclude that the relative values of the kinetic parameters, some of which are functions of the fpx, are applicable to nature.

Creep behavior of Fe-bearing olivine under hydrous conditions

To understand the effect of iron content on the creep behavior of olivine, (MgxFe(1 − x))2SiO4, under hydrous conditions, we have conducted tri-axial compressive creep experiments on samples of polycrystalline olivine with Mg contents of x = 0.53, 0.77, 0.90, and 1. Samples were deformed at stresses of 25 to 320 MPa, temperatures of 1050° to 1200°C, a confining pressure of 300 MPa, and a water fugacity of 300 MPa using a gas-medium high-pressure apparatus. Under hydrous conditions, our results yield the following expression for strain rate as a function of iron content for 0.53 ≤ x ≤ 0.90 in the dislocation creep regime: e˙=e˙0.901−x0.11/2exp226×1030.9−xRT. In this equation, the strain rate of San Carlos olivine, e˙0.90, is a function of T, σ, and fH2O. As previously shown for anhydrous conditions, an increase in iron content directly increases creep rate. In addition, an increase in iron content increases hydrogen solubility and therefore indirectly increases creep rate. This flow law allows us to extrapolate our results to a wide range of mantle conditions, not only for Earths mantle but also for the mantle of Mars.

Rheology of fine‐grained forsterite aggregate at deep upper mantle conditions

High-pressure and high-temperature deformation experiments on fine-grained synthetic dunite (forsterite aggregate) were conducted to determine the dominant deformation mechanism in the deep upper mantle. The sintered starting material has 90% forsterite, 10% enstatite, and an average grain size of ~1 µm. Deformation experiments were performed using a deformation-DIA apparatus at pressures of 3.03–5.36 GPa, temperatures of 1473–1573 K, and uniaxial strain rates of 0.91 × 10−5 to 18.6 × 10−5 s−1 at dry circumstances <50 H/106Si. The steady state flow stress was determined at each deformation condition. Derived stress-strain rate data is analyzed together with that reported from similar but low-pressure deformation experiments using flow law equations for diffusion creep (stress exponent of n = 1, grain-size exponent of p = 2) and for dislocation-accommodated grain-boundary sliding (GBS-disl, n = 3, p = 1). The activation volume for diffusion creep (V*dif) and for GBS-disl (V*GBS) of dunite is determined to be 8.2 ± 0.9 and 7.5 ± 1.0 cm3/mol, respectively. Calculations based on these results suggest that both diffusion creep and dislocation creep play an important role for material flow at typical deformation conditions in the Earths asthenospheric upper mantle whereas the contribution of GBS-disl is very limited, and dislocation creep is the dominant deformation mechanism during the deformation of olivine in sheared peridotite xenolith. Though these conclusions are not definitive, these are the first results on potential deformation mechanisms of forsterite aggregate based on extrapolation in the pressure, temperature, stress, and grain-size space.

Evolution of the rheological and microstructural properties of olivine aggregates during dislocation creep under hydrous conditions

Since hydrogen plays an important role in dynamic processes in Earths mantle, we conducted torsion experiments to shear strains of 0.6 to 5.0 on Fe-bearing olivine aggregates [(Mg0.5Fe0.5)2SiO4: Fo50] under hydrous conditions at T = 1200 °C and P = 300 MPa. We deformed samples to high enough strains that a steady-state microstructure was achieved, which allowed us to investigate the evolution of both the rheological and microstructural properties. The stress exponent of n ≈ 5.0 and the grain size exponent of p ≈ 0 determined by fitting the strain rate, stress, and grain size data indicate that our samples deformed by dislocation creep. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy measurements on embedded olivine single crystals demonstrated that our samples were saturated with hydrogen during the deformation experiments. The lattice preferred orientation (LPO) of olivine changes as a function of strain due to competition among three slip systems: (010)[100], (100)[001], and (001)[100]. Observed strain weakening can be attributed to geometrical softening associated with development of LPO, which reduces the stress by ~1/3 from its peak value in constant strain rate experiments. The geometrical softening coefficient determined in this study is an important constraint for modeling and understanding dynamical processes in upper mantle under hydrous conditions.

Rheological weakening of olivine + orthopyroxene aggregates due to phase mixing, Part2: Microstructural development

To understand the processes involved in phase mixing during deformation and the resulting changes in rheological behavior, we conducted torsion experiments on samples of iron-rich olivine plus orthopyroxene. The experiments were conducted at a temperature, T, of 1200°C and a confining pressure, P, of 300 MPa using a gas-medium, deformation apparatus. Samples composed of olivine plus 26% orthopyroxene were deformed to outer radius shear strains up to γ ≈ 26. In samples deformed to lower strains of γ ≲ 4, elongated olivine and pyroxene grains form a compositional layering. Already by this strain, mixtures of small equant grains of olivine and pyroxene begin to develop and continue to evolve with increasing strain. The ratios of olivine to pyroxene grain size in deformed samples follow the Zener relationship, indicating that pyroxene grains effectively pin the grain boundaries of olivine and inhibit grain growth. Due to the reduction in grain size, the dominant deformation mechanism changes as a function of strain. The microstructural development forming more thoroughly mixed, fine-grained olivine-pyroxene aggregates can be explained by the difference in diffusivity among Me (Fe or Mg), O, and Si, with transport of MeO significantly faster than that of SiO2. These mechanical and associated microstructural properties provide important constraints for understanding rheological weakening and strain localization in upper mantle rocks.

Observations of grain size sensitive power law creep of olivine aggregates over a large range of lattice‐preferred orientation strength

Grain size sensitive (GSS) power law creep of San Carlos olivine aggregates was investigated by comparing strain rates measured in laboratory deformation experiments to strain rates determined from a micromechanical model of intragranular dislocation processes. The plastic flow behavior of olivine aggregates due solely to intragranular slip was determined using flow laws for olivine single crystals in combination with grain orientations measured by electron backscatter diffraction. Measured strain rates were compared to results from the micromechanical model for samples deformed in compression to an axial strain of <0.2 and in torsion to a shear strain of up to 7.4. Olivine aggregates deform up to a factor of 4.6 times faster than the maximum possible rates determined from the micromechanical model of intragranular slip. Comparison of our data to published flow laws indicates that diffusion creep cannot account for this difference. The ratio of experimentally determined strain rates to those from the micromechanical model is strongly dependent upon grain size but is independent of stress and strength of lattice-preferred orientation. These observations indicate that GSS power law creep, consistent with dislocation-accommodated grain boundary sliding, occurs in both weakly and strongly textured olivine aggregates at the studied conditions.

Rheological Weakening of Olivine + Orthopyroxene Aggregates Due to Phase Mixing: 1. Mechanical Behavior

To understand the processes involved in rheological weakening due to phase mixing in olivine + orthopyroxene aggregates, we conducted high-strain torsion experiments on two-phase samples at a temperature of 1200°C and a confining pressure of 300 MPa. Samples composed of iron-rich olivine plus 26% orthopyroxene were deformed to outer radius shear strains of up to γ ≈ 26. Values for the stress exponent, n, and grain size exponent, p, were determined based on least-squares fits of the strain rate, stress, and grain size data to a power-law creep equation both at smaller strains (γ ≤ 3) and at larger strains (γ ≥ 24). Microstructural observations demonstrate that, with increasing shear strain, grain size decreased and mixtures of small, equant grains of olivine and pyroxene developed. The values of n and p combined with associated changes in microstructure demonstrated that our samples deformed (i) by dislocation-accommodated grain-boundary sliding with subgrains present at lower strains and (ii) by dislocation-accommodated grain-boundary sliding with subgrains absent at higher strains. The evolution of both the mechanical and the microstructural properties observed in this study provide insights into the dynamic processes associated with rheological weakening and strain localization in the plastically deforming portion of the lithosphere.