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Serpentinization

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Encyclopedia of Marine Geosciences

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Synonyms

Abyssal peridotite; Abyssal serpentinite; Bastite; Mesh texture; Serpentine minerals; Serpentinite

Definition

“Serpentinization” is the process leading to the formation of serpentinites, metamorphic rocks derived from hydrous alteration of olivine-rich ultramafic rocks and consisting mainly of serpentine group minerals.

Introduction

Serpentinization denotes the hydrous alteration of olivine-rich ultramafic rocks, which can occur everywhere, where these rocks and aqueous solutions react under suitable pressure and temperature conditions. In the oceanic realm, seawater-derived fluids are abundant; however, ultramafic rocks (peridotites) are typically found in the Earth’s upper mantle. Serpentinization will only take place where these rocks get in contact with seawater fluids, either by deep fluid infiltration in fracture zones and bend faults or by uplift and exposure of peridotites at or near the seafloor. During serpentinization, the primary minerals contained in a peridotite...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150 (NA 05/685), 44801, Bochum, Germany

    Niels Jöns

  2. Department of Geosciences and Marum, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str. (GEO), 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Wolfgang Bach

Authors
  1. Niels Jöns
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  2. Wolfgang Bach
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Correspondence to Niels Jöns .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland

    Jan Harff

  2. Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

    Martin Meschede

  3. Leibiniz Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany

    Sven Petersen

  4. Academy of Sciences, Humanities, and Lit c/o Helmholtz-Center for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany

    Jörn Thiede

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Jöns, N., Bach, W. (2014). Serpentinization. In: Harff, J., Meschede, M., Petersen, S., Thiede, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Marine Geosciences. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6644-0_119-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6644-0_119-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6644-0

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