Facilities
Experimental Petrology
The experimental petrology laboratory has a number of different pieces of equipment for simulating pressures and temperatures found at depth in the Earth. These include:
- Two piston cylinder apparatuses
- One Walker-type multi-anvil apparatus
- Three cold-seal hydro-thermal bombs
- Internally-heated gas pressure vessel
- Gas-mixing furnace
For more information contact: Alison Pawley.
Rock Deformation
Large capacity room temperature deformation rig
The rock deformation laboratory has a number of different pieces of equipment for deforming rocks at pressures and temperatures found at depth in the Earth. These include:
- Paterson internally heated gas rig
Capable of deforming rocks in compression, extension and torsion at 300 MPa and up to 1200°C. - Two externally heated Nimonic rigs
Water confining medium used for deforming in compression and extension up to 700°C and 200MPa. - Three externally heated Heard rigs
Oil confining medium for working at <500°C and up to 300MPa. - Large capacity room temperature rig
Designed to look at meso-scale fracturing processes. Can take up to 25mm diameter cores and pressures up to 500 MPa. - Seismic velocity rig
Room temperature high pressure (500MPa) rig for measuring seismic velocities of rocks. - Permeability rig
Designed to measure the permeability rocks at pressures up to 300MPa and temperatures up to 200°C.
For more information contact: Ernie Rutter.
Analytical Facilities
We make use of analytical facilies both within the school and in the Materials Science Centre. For example:
- Scanning electron microscopy including electron back scatter diffraction in the MMSC.
- Powder X-ray diffraction
- Transmission electron microscopy in the MMSC.