INVESTIGATION OF HYDROTHERMAL PROCESSES BY HOLOGRAPHIC INTERFEROMETRY

Abstract

The paper reports on a study to incorporate holographic methods into actual observation of hydrothermal crystals genesis. Real time visualization of the course of an experiment in an autoclave with optical windows was achieved by using a holographic microscope, mounted on a UIG-12 autoclave. Pressure was calculated from the P-F-T-X diagram for water-salt systems or was measured with a reference pressure gage. The temperature and ΔT in the zone of the solution and in the reaction chamber were measured by means of a thermocouple. The temperature was increased (or decreased) at constant increments from 20 to 400°C, as was the pressure (from 1 to 800 atm). The temperature gradient ΔI was kept in the range of -10 to +10°. The holographic interferograms were interpreted by means of the Lorentz-Lorentz formula which gives the relationship between the refractive index, molecular weight, density and refractivities of the solutions at different temperatures, concentrations and pressures.