Abstract
Crystal size distributions (CSDs) measured in metamorphic rocks yield quantitative information about crystal nucleation and growth rates, growth times, and the degree of overstepping (ΔT) of reactions during metamorphism. CSDs are described through use of a population density function n=dN/dL, where N is the cumulative number of crystals per unit volume and L is a linear crystal size. Plots of ln (n) vs. L for olivine+pyroxene and magnetite in high-temperature (1000° C) basalt hornfelses from the Isle of Skye define linear arrays, indicating continuous nucleation and growth of crystals during metamorphism. Using the slope and intercept of these linear plots in conjunction with growth rate estimates we infer minimum mineral growth times of less than 100 years at ΔT<10° C, and nucleation rates between 10−4 and 10−1/cm3/s. Garnet and magnetite in regionally metamorphosed pelitic schists from south-central Maine have CSDs which are bell-shaped. We interpret this form to be the result of two processes: 1) initial continuous nucleation and growth of crystals, and 2) later loss of small crystals due to annealing. The large crystals in regional metamorphic rocks retain the original size frequency distribution and may be used to obtain quantitative information on the original conditions of crystal nucleation and growth. The extent of annealing increases with increasing metamorphic grade and could be used to estimate the duration of annealing conditions if the value of a rate constant were known. Finally, the different forms of crystal size distributions directly reflect differences in the thermal histories of regional vs. contact metamorphosed rocks: because contact metamorphism involves high temperatures for short durations, resulting CSDs are linear and unaffected by annealing, similar to those produced by crystallization from a melt; because regional metamorphism involves prolonged cooling from high temperatures, primary linear CSDs are later modified by annealing to bell shapes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson MP, Grest GR, Srolovitz DJ (1985) Grain growth in three dimensions: A lattice model. Scripta Metallurgica 19:225–230
Baronnet A (1982) Ostwald ripening in solutions. The case of calcite and mica. Estudios Geol 38:185–198
Carlson WD (1983) Aragonite-calcite nucleation kinetics: an application and extension of Avrami transformation theory. J Geol 91:57–71
Cashman KV (1986) Crystal size distributions in igneous and metamorphic rocks. PhD Thesis, Johns Hopkins University
Cashman KV, Marsh BD (1988) Crystal size distributions (CSD) in rocks and the kinetics and dynamics of crystallization II. Makaopuhi lava lake. Contrib Mineral Petrol (in press)
Chai BHT (1974) Mass transfer of calcite during hydrothermal recrystallization. In: Hofman AW, Giletti BJ, Yoder HS, Yund RA (eds) Geochemical Transport and Kinetics. Carnegie Inst., Washington, pp 205–218
Chai BHT (1975) The kinetics and mass transfer of calcite during hydrothermal recrystallization process. PhD Thesis, Yale University
DeHoff RT, Rhines FL (1968) Quantitative Microscopy. McGraw-Hill Book, New York, p 422
DeHoff RT (1986) Problem solving using quantitative stereology. In: Vander Voort GF (ed) Applied Metallography, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp 89–99
Doherty RD (1983) Diffusive phase transformations in the solid state. In: Cahn RW, Haasen P (eds) Physical Metallurgy. North-Holland Physics Publishing, Amsterdam pp 933–1030
Donaldson CH (1985) A comment on crystal shapes resulting from dissolution in magmas. Mineral Mag 49:129–132
Edmunds EM, Atherton MP (1971) Polymetamorphic evolution of garnet in the Fanad Aureole. Donegal, Eire. Lithos 4:148–161
Erlich R, Vogel TA, Weinberg B, Kamilli DC, Byerly G, Richter H (1972) Textural variation in petrogenetic analysis. Geol Soc Amer Bull 83:665–676
Exner HE, Lukas HL (1971) The experimental verification of the stationary Wagner-Lifshitz distribution of coarse particles. Metallography 4:325–338
Fabbri AG (1984) Image Processing of Geological Data. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York pp 244
Ferry JM (1980) A comparative study of geothermometers and geobarometers in pelitic schists from south-central Maine. Amer Mineral 65:720–732
Ferry JM (1982) A comparative geochemical study of pelitic schists and metamorphosed carbonate rocks from south-central Maine, USA. Contrib Mineral Petrol 80:59–72
Ferry JM (1984) A biotite isograd in south central Maine, USA: Mineral reactions, fluid transfer, and heat transfer. J Petrol 25:871–893
Ferry JM, Mutti LJ, Zuccala JG (1987) Contact metamorphism/hydrothermal alteration of Tertiary basalts from the Isle of Skye, northwest Scotland. Contrib Mineral Petrol 95:166–181
Fischmeister H, Grimvall G (1973) Ostwald ripening — a survey. In: Kuczynski GC (ed) Sintering and Related Phenomena. Mat Sci Res Vol 6, pp 119–149
Flinn D (1969) Grain contacts in crystalline rocks. Lithos 2:361–370
Galwey AK, Jones KA (1963) An attempt to determine the mechanism of a natural mineral-forming reaction from examination of the products. J Chem Soc London: 5681–5686
Galwey AK, Jones KA (1966) Crystal size frequency distribution of garnets in some analysed metamorphic rocks from Mallaig, Inverness, Scotland. Geol Mag 103:143–152
Griggs DT, Paterson MS, Heard HC, Turner FJ (1960) Annealing recrystallization in calcite crystals and aggregates. In: Rock Deformation. Geol Soc Amer Memoir 79:21–37
Hilliard JE (1965) Applications of quantitative metallography in recrystallization studies. In: Recrystallization, grain growth and textures. ASM, Chapman and Hill, London, pp 267–294
Hollister LS (1966) Garnet zoning: An interpretation based on the Rayleigh fractionation model. Science 154:1647–1651
James PF (1982) Nucleation in glass-forming systems — a review. In: Simmons JH, Uhlmann DR, Beall GR (eds) Nucleation and crystallization in glasses, advances in ceramics 4:1048
Joesten R (1983) Grain growth and grain-boundary diffusion in quartz from the Christmas Mountains (Texas) contact aureole. Amer J Sci 283 A:233–254
Jones KA, Galwey AK (1964) A study of possible factors concerning garnet formation in rocks from Ardara, Co. Donegal, Ireland, Geol Mag 101:76–92
Jones KA, Galwey AK (1966) Size distribution, composition and growth kinetics of garnet crystals of some metamorphic rocks from west of Ireland. Quart Jl Geol Soc London 122:29–44
Jones KA, Morgan GJ, Galwey AK (1972) The significance of the size distribution function of crystals formed in metamorphic reactions. Chem Geol 9:137–143
Jones KA, Wolfe MJ, Galwey AK (1975) A theoretical consideration of the kinetics of calcite recrystallization produced by two basalt dykes in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. Contrib Mineral Petrol 51:283–296
Jurewicz SR, Watson EB (1985) The distribution of partial melt in a granitic system: The application of liquid phase sintering theory. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 49:1109–1121
Kirkpatrick RJ (1977) Nucleation and growth of plagioclase, Makaopuhi and Alae lava lakes, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. Geol Soc Amer Bull 88:78–84
Kraus G (1962) Gefüge, Kristallgrößen und Genese des Kristallgranites I im Vorderen Bayerischen Wald. N Jb Miner Abh 97:357–434
Kretz R (1966) Grain-size distribution for certain metamorphic minerals in relation to nucleation and growth. J Geol 74:147–173
Kretz R (1969) On the spatial distribution of crystals in rocks. Lithos 2:39–66
Kretz R (1973) Kinetics of the crystallization of garnet at two localities near Yellowknife. Can Mineral 12:1–20
Kretz R (1974) Some models for the rate of crystallization of garnet in metamorphic rocks. Lithos 7:123–131
Krumbein WC (1935) Thin-section mechanical analysis of indurated sediments. J Geol 43:482–496
Kuczynski GC (1980) Minimum entropy production rate and Ostwald ripening. In: Kuczynski GC (ed) Sintering Processes. Mat Sci Res 13:39–49
Lifshitz IM, Slyozov VV (1961) The kinetics of precipitation from supersaturated solid solutions. Jl Phys Chem Solids 19:35–50
Markworth AJ (1970) The kinetic behavior of precipitate particles under Ostwald ripening conditions. Metallography 3:197–208
Marsh BD (1988) Crystal size distribution (CSD) in rocks and the kinetics and dynamics of crystallization I. Theory. Contrib Mineral Petrol 99:277–291
Martin JW, Doherty RD (1976) Stability of Microstructure in Metallic Systems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 298
Masuda Y, Watanabe R (1980) Ostwald ripening processes in the sintering of metal powders. In: Kuczynski GC (ed) Sintering Processes. Mat Sci Res 13:3–21
McLellan EL (1983) Contrasting textures in metamorphic and anatectic migmatites: an example from the Scottish Caledonides. J Metamorphic Geol 1:241–262
Norton D, Knight J (1977) Transport phenomena in hydrothermal systems: Cooling plutons. Amer J Sci 277:937–981
Ostwald W (1900) Über die vermeintliche Isomeric des roten und gelben Quecksilberoxyds und die Oberflächenspannung fester Körper. Z Phys Chem Stoechiom Verwandtschaftslehre 34:495–503
Randolph AD, Larson MA (1971) Theory of Particulate Processes, Academic Press, New York, p 251
Russ JC (1986) Practical Stereology. Plenum Press, New York, p 185
Saltykov SA (1967) The determination of the size distribution of particles in an opaque material from a measurement of the size distribution of their sections. In: Elias H (ed) Stereology, Proc 1nd Int Cong for Stereology, Springer, New York, p 163
Spry A (1969) Metamorphic Textures, Pergamon Press, p 350
Thompson AB, England PC (1984) Pressure-temperature-time paths of regional metamorphism II. Their influence and interpretation using mineral assemblages in metamorphic rocks. J Petrol 25:929–955
Tullis J, Yund RA (1982) Grain growth kinetics of quartz and calcite aggregates. Jl Geol 90:301–318
Underwood EE (1970) Quantitative Stereology. Addison-Wesley Publ Co, Massachusetts, p 274
Vander Voort GF (1984) Metallography: Principles and Practice. McGraw-Hill Book, New York, pp 410–509
Wagner C (1961) A note on the origin of ophitic texture in the chilled olivine gabbro of the Skaergaard intrusion. Geol Mag 98:353–366
Wagner C (1961) Theorie der Alterung von Niederschlägen durch Umlosen. Z Elektrochemie 65:581–591
Walther JV, Wood BJ (1984) Rate and mechanism is prograde metamorphism. Contrib Mineral Petrol 88:246–259
Walther JV, Wood BJ (1986) Mineral-fluid reaction rates. In: Walther JV, Wood BJ (eds) Fluid-Rock Interactions During Metamorphism. Advanes in Geochemistry, Vol 5 Springer, New York, pp 194–211
Wicksell SD (1925) The Corpuscle Problem 1. A mathematical study of a biometric problem. Biometrika 17:84
Winkler HGF (1949) Crystallization of basaltic magma as recorded by variation of crystals sizes in dikes. Minerals Mag 28:557–574
Wood BJ, Walther JV (1983) Rates of hydrothermal reactions. Science 222:413–415
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cashman, K.V., Ferry, J.M. Crystal size distribution (CSD) in rocks and the kinetics and dynamics of crystallization. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 99, 401–415 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00371933
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00371933