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Self-diffusion of magnesium in spinel and in equilibrium melts: Constraints on flash heating of silicates

Sheng, Y. J. and Wasserburg, G. J. and Hutcheon, I. D. (1992) Self-diffusion of magnesium in spinel and in equilibrium melts: Constraints on flash heating of silicates. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 56 (6). pp. 2535-2546. ISSN 0016-7037. doi:10.1016/0016-7037(92)90207-Y. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20131029-154702161

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Abstract

We have measured Mg self-diffusion in spinel and coexisting melt at bulk chemical equilibrium using an isotopic tracer. The diffusion coefficients were calculated from the measured isotope profiles using a model that includes the complementary diffusion of ^(24)Mg, ^(25)Mg, and ^(26)Mg in both phases with the constraint that the Mg content of each phase is constant. This model also permits the calculation of the diffusion coefficient in one phase from the measured data in a coexisting phase. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor for Mg self-diffusion in spinel are, respectively, 384 ± 7kJ and 74.6 ± 1.1 cm^2/s. These data indicate Mg diffusion in spinel is much slower than previous estimates, probably because earlier measurements included grain boundary transport. The activation energy for Mg self-diffusion in coexisting melt is 343 ± 25 kJ and the pre-exponential factor is 7791.9 ± 1.3 cm^2/s. The results from this study were applied to evaluate cooling rates of Plagioclase-Olivine Inclusions (POI) in the Allende meteorite. Given a maximum melting temperature for POIs of ~ 1500°C, these results show that a 10 μ radius spinel would equilibrate isotopically with a melt within about 60 min. To preserve Mg isotopic heterogeneity, the POIs must have initially cooled faster than 15 to 250°C/h depending on the initial temperature of flash heating. The cooling rate must also be slow enough to generate the observed basaltic textures. The inferred cooling rate appears to be comparable or up to ten times greater than those inferred from experimental and textural studies of synthetic CAI systems. The nature of the heating process is thus required to be short with relatively rapid cooling, such as flash heating. However, the relatively rapid cooling cannot be due to radiation into a cold, ~400°K nebula but would require radiation into a rather stable hot environment.


Item Type:Article
Related URLs:
URLURL TypeDescription
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(92)90207-YDOIArticle
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/001670379290207YPublisherArticle
ORCID:
AuthorORCID
Wasserburg, G. J.0000-0002-7957-8029
Additional Information:© 1992 Pergamon Press Ltd. Received September 6, 1991; accepted in revised form March 25, 1992. We express our appreciation to D. S. Burnett who generously allowed us use of his laboratory. We are thankful to M. L. Johnson and T. LaTourette for their good-spirited aid and support in use of the furnace. G. R. Rossman kindly provided the spinels used in our experiments. We appreciate the helpful comments of J. R. Beckett and Y. Zhang and the assistance of L. Hedges in sample preparation. Thorough reviews by R. T. Cygan, F. Richter, and J. Ganguly were of great aid and are gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by DOE grant DEFG0388ER13851 and NASA grant NAG 9-43.
Funders:
Funding AgencyGrant Number
Department of Energy (DOE)DE-FG-0388ER13851
NASANAG 9-43
Issue or Number:6
DOI:10.1016/0016-7037(92)90207-Y
Record Number:CaltechAUTHORS:20131029-154702161
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20131029-154702161
Official Citation:Y.J Sheng, G.J Wasserburg, I.D Hutcheon, Self-diffusion of magnesium in spinel and in equilibrium melts: Constraints on flash heating of silicates, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Volume 56, Issue 6, June 1992, Pages 2535-2546, ISSN 0016-7037, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(92)90207-Y. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/001670379290207Y)
Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:42131
Collection:CaltechAUTHORS
Deposited By: Tony Diaz
Deposited On:31 Oct 2013 21:42
Last Modified:10 Nov 2021 16:18

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