Thermal Conductivity and Thermal Diffusivity of Talc at High Temperature and Pressure With Implications for the Thermal Structure of Subduction Zones

The thermal conductivity (kappa $\kappa $) and thermal diffusivity (D $D$) of talc have been measured over a range of temperature (298-1,373 K) and pressure (0.5-3.0 GPa) conditions using the transient plane-source method. The results show that both the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity are dependent upon the prevailing temperature and pressure conditions to a certain extent. As the temperature and pressure increase, the thermal diffusivity monotonically decreases, while the thermal conductivity initially decreases between 298 and 973 K and then increases from 973 to 1,173 K. At low temperatures, phonon scattering is the dominant mechanism for heat transfer; at higher temperatures, photon radiation and dehydration become more prevalent. At temperatures greater than 1,173 K, the thermal conductivity decreases significantly due to aqueous liquid accumulation. Talc may be the cause of the high geothermal gradient in the hot subduction zone.