Petrology of the metamorphic rocks / Edition 2

by R. Mason

Overview

There has been a great advance in the understanding of processes of meta­ morphism and of metamorphic rocks since the last edition of this book appeared. Methods for determining temperatures and pressures have become almost routine, and there is a wide appreciation that there is not a single temperature and pressure of metamorphism, but that rocks may preserve, in their minerals, chemistry and textures, traces of their history of burial, heating, deformation and permeation by fluids. However, this excit­ ing new knowledge is still often difficult for non-specialists to understand, and this book, like the first edition, aims at enlightenment. I have concen­ trated on the interpretation of the plate tectonic settings of metamorphism, rather than following a geochemical approach. Although there is an impress­ ive degree of agreement between the two, I believe that attempting to discover the tectonic conditions accompanying rock recrystallization will more readily arouse the interest of the beginner. I have used a series of case histories, as in the first edition, drawing on my own direct experience as far as possible. This m~ns that some subjects are treated in more detail than others, and many important topics are barely mentioned at all. It also means that general concepts appear in a rather haphazard order in the text. To help my readers, I have provided a glossary of definitions of terms used in the book, which are indicated in bold type in the text.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780045520282
Publisher:	Springer Netherlands
Publication date:	10/31/1990
Edition description:	2nd ed. 1990
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.- Definition.- The processes of metamorphism.- The three field categories of metamorphic rocks.- Studying thin sections of metamorphic rocks.- Laboratory study of metamorphic rocks.- Why study metamorphic rocks?.- 2 Rock and mineral compositions, and their relationship.- Classification of metamorphic rocks.- Chemical compositions of metamorphic rocks.- The Phase Rule.- Recognition of equilibrium in metamorphic rocks.- Composition — assemblage diagrams.- Metamorphic textures.- Metamorphic facies.- Thermotectonic modelling.- 3 Metamorphism associated with igneous intrusions.- The Skiddaw contact aureole, Cumbria, England.- The Beinn an Dubhaich aureole, Isle of Skye, Scotland.- Compositions of fluids in contact metamorphism.- Thermal models of contact metamorphism.- 4 Dynamic metamorphism.- The Mutki granitic mylonite, Turkey.- The Lochseiten Mylonite, Switzerland.- Dynamic metamorphism in relation to depth.- 5 Metamorphism associated with lithospheric extension.- Metamorphism at spreading oceanic ridges.- Metamorphism in sedimentary basins.- 6 Metamorphism in subduction zones.- 7 Metamorphism in collision zones.- Metamorphic evolution of pelitic rocks of Connemara, Ireland.- The Sulitjelma copper-mining district, Norway and Sweden.- 8 Metamorphism in stable continental crust.- Metamorphism in Dengfeng County, Henan Province, China.- Pyroxene gneisses of northwestern Scotland.- The Adirondack Mountains, New York State, USA.- Heat flow and thermal gradients in continental crust.- 9 Metamorphic rocks of the mantle.- 10 Extraterrestrial metamorphism.- Impact metamorphism.- Shock metamorphism at the Nördlinger Ries crater, Germany.- Metamorphism in Moon rocks.- References.