Plagioclase morphologies in assimilation experiments. Implications for disequilibrium melting in the generation of granodiorite rocks

Abstract

Assimilation experiments have been performed using a crustal contaminant and several basaltic compositions in order to study the morphologies of plagioclase crystals produced in the course of the assimilation reactions. A Crd-Bt anatectic gneiss was used as a crustal contaminant. Both a synthetic basaltic glass, with the composition of a high-Al ocean tholeiite, and a natural Hb gabbro were used as basaltic compositions. Experiments were carried out at temperatures in the range 900–1100 °C and at pressures of 4, 5 and 10 kbar. Plagioclase crystals with skeletal and honeycomb morphologies are produced in the assimilation experiments. These morphologies result from destabilisation of the crystal-melt interface caused by the disequilibrium production of a Ca-rich melt. The production of the Ca-rich metastable melt is the result of reaction between two compositionally dissimilar systems, pelite and basalt. This interpretation, based on the kinetics of plagioclase and melt production, may be applied to granodiorite rocks characterised by plagioclase with Ca-rich, skeletal cores.