FLUID-FLUID INTERACTIONS.: Axel Liebscher and Christoph A. Heinrich, Eds. (2007) Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 65, 430 p. Mineralogical Society of America, Chantilly, Virginia. ISBN 978-0-939950-77-5. $40.00.

Abstract

That two or even more coexisting fluids may occur in geological systems is something that is very well known but rather little understood. While it is true that from a thermodynamic point of view fluids that are in equilibrium are effectively the same fluid, for any understanding of irreversible processes in nature it is essential to appreciate what happens when there are different fluids of different compositions, densities, and transport properties present in a system. This volume effectively brings together experimental data, theory, and results from natural systems for a wide range of fluid-fluid systems, and it is particularly effective at juxtaposing complementary approaches and emphases that have been developed by researchers in different fields. At last we have a one-stop shop to get up to speed with the relevant data and approaches, whatever the system. It is essential reading for anyone who hopes to understand almost any geological process, with the possible exception of meteorite impact. The volume is mainly, but not exclusively, concerned with immiscibility among relatively low-density fluids, and the introductory chapter by the editors serves to set the scene and to outline the different types of phase diagrams that can result. These authors also highlight some of the inconsistencies in usage that have developed between different specialists, and in particular the …