Fluid Precipitates in Rocks from the Earth's Mantle

Research Article| June 01, 1975 Fluid Precipitates in Rocks from the Earth's Mantle H. W. GREEN; H. W. GREEN 1Department of Geology, University of California, Davis, California 95616 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S. V. RADCLIFFE S. V. RADCLIFFE 2Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information H. W. GREEN 1Department of Geology, University of California, Davis, California 95616 S. V. RADCLIFFE 2Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1975) 86 (6): 846–852. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1975)86<846:FPIRFT>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation H. W. GREEN, S. V. RADCLIFFE; Fluid Precipitates in Rocks from the Earth's Mantle. GSA Bulletin 1975;; 86 (6): 846–852. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1975)86<846:FPIRFT>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Xenoliths of rocks from the Earth's mantle are commonly included in alkalic basalt and kimberlite diatremes. The xenoliths, many of them highly deformed by plastic flow, consist primarily of olivine and pyroxene and may be derived from depths as great as the seismic low-velocity zone. Large numbers of very small bubbles of CO2-rich fluid are within the major phases. The combined techniques of optical and high-voltage electron petrography demonstrate that the smallest bubbles, many of them below optical resolution, are attached to crystal defects induced by deformation and exsolution and to grain boundaries. It is concluded that formation of the smallest bubbles precedes incorporation of the xenoliths into the host magma and occurs by solid state precipitation on the deformation and exsolution features. The bubbles then collect on migrating grain boundaries during syntectonic recrystallization.The occurrence of bubble formation before, xenolith incorporation into the magma strengthens previous suggestions that the tectonite xenoliths may be the magma source rock or residuum and that the asthenosphere is not partially melted. Furthermore, since the presence of analogous "bubble structure" in ceramics and metals is known to weaken significantly the high-temperature creep resistance of such materials, it appears likely that the mode of flow in mantle rocks may be influenced similarly. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.