HR: 08:00h
AN: V11E-01 INVITED    [Abstracts]
TI: Mineral-Water Reaction Kinetics: From Molecules to Mountains
AU: * Luettge, A
EM: aluttge@rice.edu
AF: Department of Earth Science, MS-126, Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States
AB: The fate of mountains is decided at the nanometer space- and femto-second time-scale. Consequently, our understanding of mineral-water reaction kinetics requires an in depth understanding of the underlying molecular processes and – in addition – demands an ability to connect the microscopic information with the macroscopic geologic bodies formed over millions of years. Today, petrologists can build on a wealth of existing data and observations, utilize sophisticated analytical tools and supercomputers for their studies. Still, the critical question is this: Is there actually enough information stored in a rock to decipher the kinetics that governed its formation? While this critical question remains yet unanswered, we have the opportunity to study water-rock reaction kinetics in the laboratory and develop a fundamental understanding of the reaction kinetics that control rock-forming processes. A combination of microscopic experimental techniques and quantum chemistry-based computer simulations provides the basis for new geochemical hypotheses. These may than be explored and tested in natural rock samples.
UR: http://cohesion.rice.edu/naturalsciences/earthscience/facultyDetail.cfm?riceid=1026 DE: 3610 Geochemical modeling (1009, 8410)
DE: 3620 Mineral and crystal chemistry (1042)
SC: Volcanology, Geochemistry, Petrology [V]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting