The electrical conductivity of serpentine is measured and the microscopic conductance mechanisms are investigated with impedance spectroscopy at 2.5–4.0 GPa and 220–780°C. The results show that the electrical conductivity is strongly dependent on the frequencies used, and that only arc I, which reflects grain interior conductance, occurs and dominates the whole conductance processes over 12-105Hz at high pressure before dehydration. The arc II, which indicates the grain boundary process, begins to occur at the initial stage of dehydration. After dehydration, due to the presence of highly conductive networks of free water, the electrical conductivity is not dependent on frequencies any longer and the total electrical conductivity is dominated by process of ionic conductance of free water in interconnected networks. Dehydration of serpentine enhances pronouncedly the total electrical conductivity, through which highly conductive layers (HCL) may be formed in the earth’s interior.
To measure elastic wave velocities in rocks at high temperature and high pressure is an important way to acquire the mechanics and thermodynamics data of rocks in the earth? interior and also a substantial approach to studying the structure and composition of materials there. In recent years, a rapid progress has been made in methodology pertaining to the measurements of elastic wave velocities in rocks at high temperature and high pressure with solids as the pressuretransfer media. However, no strict comparisons have been made of the elastic wave velocity data of rocks measured at high temperature and high pressure by various laboratories. In order to compare the experimental results from various laboratories, we have conducted a comparative experimental study on three measuring methods and made a strict comparison with the results obtained by using the transmission method with fluid as the pressure-transfer medium. Our experimental results have shown that the measurements obtained by the three methods are comparable in the pressure ranges of their application. The cubic sample pulse transmission method used by Kern is applicable to measuring elastic wave velocities in crustal rocks at lower temperature and lower pressure. The prism sample pulse reflection-transmission method has some advantagesin pressure range, heating temperature and measuring precision. Although the measurements obtained under relatively low pressure conditions by the prism sample pulse transmission method are relatively low in precision, the samples are large in length and their assemblage is simple. So this method is suitable to the experiments that require large quantities of samples and higher pressures. Therefore, in practical application the latter two methods are usually recommended because their measurements can be mutually corrected and supplemented.
