A synchrotron radiation study of high-pressure ice rheology

Introduction It is indispensable to construct flow laws of highpressure ices in the grain size-sensitive (GSS) creep regime especially for low-stress conditions expected in the convecting interiors of icy moons. However observations and controls of the grain size of highpressure ices are generally difficult. Rheology of highpressure ices has been studied by using a gas-medium deformation apparatus. With the use of cryogenic scanning electron microscope, a change in deformation mechanism from the grain size-insensitive (GSI) to GSS creep has been observed [1]. We present here preliminary results on synchrotron radiation studies on high-pressure ice rheology.