Numerical Magma Flow Models for the Antarctic Basement Sill

Encompassing numerical models simulating the lateral flow of magma within the Basement Sill, a major igneous intrusion in Antarctica. The models, built on a finite-element mesh derived from field data, capture flow behavior over a viscosity range of 1–10⁴ Pa·s and simulate particle segregation and shear strain rates. It was created by Nick Petford and published in 2020.

Use Cases

• Analyze the relationship between simulated viscosity (1–10⁴ Pa·s) and crystal fraction (30–70%) to model magmatic slurry rheology.
• Study the formation and impact of transient, low-viscosity (≤50 Pa·s) high Reynolds number eddies along the intrusion's floor and roof contacts.
• Investigate simulated shear strain rates (10⁻³–10⁻⁵ s⁻¹) at high particle concentrations (>40%) to understand shear-thinning and magmatic layering.
• Use numerical particle orbit tracing to model crystal segregation based on mass density within simulated flow eddies.
• Apply model transport rates to estimate maximum magma emplacement times (ca 10⁵ years) for long-range lateral flow scenarios.

Strengths

• Models are derived from field data of a world-class geological example of continental-scale lateral magma flow.
• Simulations cover a specific, wide viscosity range of 1 to 10,000 Pa·s, relevant to magmatic slurries.
• The model incorporates a novel discovery of transient, low-viscosity (≤50 Pa·s) high Reynolds number eddies.

Limitations

• The dataset's specific structure, including row count, column count, and file formats, is unknown.
• As a numerical model based on a specific field site (Basement Sill), direct applicability to other geological settings may be limited.
• The data is static from a 2020 publication and does not represent ongoing measurements or updates.

Provenance

Source

Dryad digital repository.

Collection Method

Numerical models built on a finite-element mesh derived from field data of the Basement Sill.

Freshness

Last updated 2020-06-24.

Geography

McMurdo Dry Valleys magmatic system, Antarctica, specifically the Basement Sill intrusion.