The strength and deformation of the ocean crust depends primarily on the strength of the lower crust (oceanic layer 3) which is composed of gabbros. The strength of these rocks have not been investigated in detail and this project is designed to determine how the crust deforms when it is under pressure and when it is partially molten. These results may explain why some mid-ocean ridges have large axial valleys while others do not. The presence of melt also affects the velocity of seismic waves and the viscosity of gabbro depends on the amount of melt present and how it is distributed in the rock. This study is designed to make these measurements so that we can model the deformation of the ocean crust and the velocity of seismic waves.
