Volcanism is one of several important processes that form and shape the surface of the Earth. Melts that are erupted from explosive volcanoes such as Pinatubo or Mt Saint Helens, and from the vast system of mid-ocean ridges. Lavas erupted at the surface are known to originate from the Earth?s mantle as partial melts, i.e., small fractions of melt in mostly solid rock, but how melts move through the host solid is poorly understood. Melts are thought to be driven by both stress (pressure) and chemical reactions, and this experimental study has the aim of investigating how these two processes interact to channelize and transport melts at high temperatures and pressures. In addition to contributing to our understanding of fundamental processes, broader impacts of this study include research experience for undergraduates, training for a graduate student, and development of new experimental techniques
