This ongoing study will elucidate the physical behavior and chemical effects of fluids in the Earth's mantle by conducting melting experiments in silicate-carbonate-CO2-H2O systems relevant to the origin of kimberlites and carbonatites. The experimental projects proposed include ones addressing: liquid immiscibility between silicate and carbonate melts, the composition of carbonatitic melts produced from peridotite at pressures above 20 kb,molecular dynamics simulations of silicate-carbonate liquids, melting relationships of basalts-CaCO3, and high pressure measurement of carbonatite viscosity.
