Pressure enhancement of ion mobilities in liquid silicates from computer simulation studies to 800 kilobars.

Ion dynamics computer simulation methods show that for many liquid silicates, like silica itself, the component diffusion coefficients show anomalous pressure dependences. This implies that their viscosities have negative pressure dependences. Overall, there is an interesting degree of analogy between the fundamental binary solutions of geochemistry and the aqueous solutions of common experience; however, due to the stronger bonding in silicate systems, the anomalies are much more persistent. Diffusivity maxima occur at pressures of 200 to 300 kilobars and are correlated with a prevalence of fivefold coordination of silicon ions. The relevance of these findings to planetary dynamics and thermophysical modeling problems is briefly considered.