9628340 Tullis The PI proposes to conduct laboratory experiments to determine flow laws for dislocation creep and fluid-assisted diffusion creep of feldspar aggregates. Feldspar constitutes the dominant phase in the earth's crust and probably is the strongest phase in the middle portions of the continental crust, but as yet there are no flow laws for this mineral. These studies will provide quantification that will allow greatly improved limits to be placed on the reheology of the middle crust. ***
