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Sector trilling in cordierite and equilibrium overstepping in metamorphism

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Abstract

The origin of sector trilling in cordierite is due to the hexagonal-orthorhombic Al, Si ordering transformation which under non-equilibrium conditions proceeds via a short-range ordered modulated structure. The growth of these distortion waves associated with progressive ordering produces a strain field which is minimized by a cyclic distribution of symmetrically equivalent modulations.

Sector and complexly trilled cordierites in metamorphic rocks grew as the hexagonal polymorph with a considerable degree of Al, Si disorder. The enthalpy and entropy of disorder are evaluated from recent experimental work. The implication is that, in metamorphic rocks, substantial overstepping of stable equilibrium phase boundaries is required to nucleate hexagonal cordierite. Moreover, its composition coexisting with other phases will also be significantly different from that of the stable ordered form.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EQ, Cambridge, England

    A. Putnis & T. J. B. Holland

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  1. A. Putnis
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  2. T. J. B. Holland
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Putnis, A., Holland, T.J.B. Sector trilling in cordierite and equilibrium overstepping in metamorphism. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 93, 265–272 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00371328

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00371328

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