MELTS for Mac OS X

This page provides instructions for configuring your Mac OS X system to run a native version of the rhyolite-MELTS (which supersedes MELTS) or pMELTS software package. Rhyolite-MELTS is based on the original MELTS calibration with modifications that should affect only the stability of quartz and alkali-feldspar. Consequently, application of rhyolite-MELTS to more mafic systems (or any system that is quartz and alkali-feldspar absent) should yield results identical to those from the orginal MELTS calibration. In addition, a number of algorithmic modifications to rhyolite-MELTS make the program less prone to numerical failures.

Results computed using the rhyolite-MELTS/pMELTS software package should be properly cited. See Answers to Questions.

Download and configure

  1. Verify that your Macintosh runs one of the following:
    • Sierra (10.12)
    • El Capitan (10.11)
    • Yosemite (10.10+)
    • Mavericks (10.9+)
    • Mountain Lion (10.8+)
  2. If this is the first installation of MELTS, install an X11 server, which ensures that the MELTS executable will launch:
    1. Download XQuartz from xquartz.macosforge.org and install the application.
      - For Sierra, install XQuartz 2.7.9 or later.
      - For other MacOS versions, install XQuartz 2.7.7 or 2.7.8.
    2. Log out and log back into your computer, or restart it.
  3. Download the compressed executable image of rhyolite-MELTS/pMELTS, and save it to the hard drive:
  4. Open the OS X Terminal utilities application, and navigate to the location of the file rhyolite-Melts-Mac-OS-10.12+.zip or rhyolite-Melts-Mac-OS-10.8+.zip.
  5. Make sure that the decompressed file is named Melts-rhyolite-public:
    • If your browser does not automatically decompress zipped files, decompress the executable image: In the terminal window run the UNIX command unzip rhyolite-Melts-Mac-OS-10.12+.zip or unzip rhyolite-Melts-Mac-OS-10.8+.zip.
    • If your browser automatically decompresses the zip file, the result is named Melts-rhyolite-public.
  6. In the terminal window, run the following UNIX command, which ensures that the executable image has the correct permissions:
      chmod 755 Melts-rhyolite-public
  7. Optionally, move the executable image to a convenient directory.
  8. Optionally, download the MELTS input file morb.melts and the pMELTS input file mm3.melts for testing purposes.
  9. In a terminal window, navigate to the directory where you placed the executable image, and start the program by typing:
      ./Melts-rhyolite-public
  10. Choose rhyolite-MELTS version 1.0.2, 1.1.0 or 1.2.0, or pMELTS mode. The interface appears on your screen. Resize as appropriate in order to see the entire interface.

      Need help understanding rhyolite-MELTS versions?