Metamorphism and Metamorphic Belts

Abstract

My book Metamorphic Rocks and Metamorphic Belts (in Japanese) was published by Iwanami Shoten, Publishers, in Tokyo in 1965. A few years later, Mr D. Lynch-Blosse of George Allen and Unwin Ltd contacted me to explore the possibility of translating it into English. Thus, translation accompanied by rewriting of substantial parts of the book was made in subsequent years, resulting in the present book Metamorphism and Metamorphic Belts. This title was chosen to emphasize the tectonic significance of metamorphic belts. Metamorphic geology has a long history. The microscopic description and classification of metamorphic rocks began in the late nineteenth century. The theory of equilibrium mineral assemblages began in the first half of the twentieth century. Detailed mineralogical studies and the experimental determination of the pressure-temperature conditions of metamorphism began in the 1950s. The importance of metamorphic peirology in our understanding of the tectonic processes has been realized only in the past decade. This book is intended to synthesize the mineralogic, petrologic and tectonic aspects of metamorphism. Advanced treatment of the thermodynamic and structural aspects is not intended. Part I of this book treats the basic concepts of metamorphic petrology and geology. Part II deals mainly with the progressive mineral changes and their diversity in regional metamorphism. Part III deals with the tectonic aspects of regional, ocean-floor and transform-fault metamorphism in relation to the evolution of the crust and lithosphere. A short history of metamorphic geology is given in the Appendix to help readers understand the historical background of concepts and terms and to, emphasize the great contribution of the to Finno-Scandinavian school of petrology in the first half of the twentieth century.nFrom the tectonic viewpoint, regional and ocean-floor metamorphism are the most important of all categories of metamorphism. Abundant data are available for regional metamorphism. Hence, the mineralogy, metamorphic facies, facies series, and pressure-temperature and tectonic conditions of regional metamorphism are discussed in detail. Available data, though they are not abundant, of ocean-floor, transform-fault and contact metamorphism are reviewed.