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Metamorphic Reactions and Processes

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Encyclopedia of Geochemistry

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Definition

A metamorphic reaction is a chemical reaction that produces, or changes, an assemblage of metamorphic mineral and fluid phases in a rock. The changes affect the compositions of the phases and may also include changes in the phases that are present. Metamorphic processes are those processes that drive metamorphic reactions, by causing a change in the chemical conditions of the rock, such as the pressure or temperature. Metamorphic processes also commonly drive deformation.

Introduction

A metamorphic rock is a rock that has undergone mineralogical changes due to changing thermodynamic conditions since its formation. Prior to any metamorphism, the original rock, or protolith, may have been formed by solidification of a melt (an igneous protolith) or the lithification of discrete grains derived from weathering (a sedimentary protolith). Mineralogical changes are driven by metamorphic processes, which give rise to a great diversity of metamorphic minerals and mineral assemblages....

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Eleanor C. R. Green

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  1. Eleanor C. R. Green
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Correspondence to Eleanor C. R. Green .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    William M. White

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Green, E.C.R. (2018). Metamorphic Reactions and Processes. In: White, W.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39312-4_69

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