[ESS] Yang Liao (WHOI)

“Probing the Dynamics of Magmatic Mush: Modeling, Geodetic Observations, and Data Inversion”

Crustal magmatic systems, both at the scale of individual magmatic reservoirs and the broader transcrustal plumbing architecture, are likely “mushy” due to the crystallization of melts. The ubiquitous presence of crystal mush challenges the classical dichotomy of magmatic plumbing, which traditionally distinguishes domains as either fluid or solid. In ‘mushy’ systems, fluid-solid interactions and their collective behavior must be considered when studying physical processes. In this talk, I will discuss how continuum mechanics approaches, particularly those based on classical poroelastic theories, can be used to model key processes and explore how these processes might manifest in geodetic observations. We’ll examine the role of crystal mush in individual magmatic reservoirs and extensive vertical columns, incorporating additional considerations such as viscoelastic relaxation, thermo-mechanical coupling, and the presence of gas. I will also present ongoing work applying these forward models to invert geodetic data from Axial Seamount, where over two decades of geodetic records may encode signals from physical processes within the underlying system of mush and embedded melt lenses. Finally, I will share thoughts on integrating forward modeling with data inversion and machine learning techniques to more effectively probe the unseen dynamics of these systems in the future.

Earth Science Seminar —

Lecture portion of the EAPS graduate-level class 12.571, covering current research in geophysics, geology, geochemistry, and geobiology. All members of the MIT community are welcome to join for presentations by guest speakers, held approximately every two weeks during the term.

Contact: earth-science-seminar-info@mit.edu