Magmatism vs mushmatism: 2D thermo-mechanical modelling of crustal mush processes

Abstract:

The concept of ‘mushmatism’- that a magma chamber resides in a crystalline state for the majority of its life, has been suggested as a plausible mechanism for observed crustal melt evolution. It is proposed that as melt is generated, its composition evolves as it rises buoyantly, reacting chemically with the surrounding crystal mush at progressively lower temperatures. It is therefore possible to explain formation of granitic melts and observed mafic-felsic layering in the crust using mush processes. It has previously been assumed that a high influx rate of molten material is required for large volumes of crustal melt to be produced. This has been modelled in the past with repetitive sill intrusion at unrealistically high rates (>3x10⁷ m³a^-1) to cause a large enough thermal perturbation of the geotherm to sustain eruptible melt in the shallow crust. However, these models are purely thermal and neglect the effects of melt segregation and mush processes on longevity of melt volumes in the crust. We have developed an axisymmetric thermo-mechanical model that includes mass transport described by coupled matrix compaction and buoyant melt segregation during repeated sill intrusion. Results are consistent with thermal models in that they demonstrate dominance of crystalline mush processes in the transient magma chamber at low-to-moderate intrusion rates. However, addition of buoyant segregation leads to formation of discrete high melt fraction layers as melt ascends through the emplacement zone. This causes a decoupling in location of maximum temperature and melt fraction not observed by purely thermal models. Our results therefore have significant implications for current methods of interpretation of geophysical data, in particular, calculating melt volumes and determining the depth of the magma chamber. In addition, transient reservoirs are produced at lower emplacement rates by the thermo-mechanical model because accumulated magma is evolved and able to remain liquid at lower temperatures. Eruptible volumes of melt are therefore produced more efficiently at lower emplacement rates than has previously been calculated. This suggests that mushmatism dominates the lifecycle of crustal magma chambers, and it is primarily through mush processes that we are able to create evolved and eruptible volumes of magma.