Retrograde melt–residue interaction and the formation of near‐anhydrous leucosomes in migmatites

Abstract

AbstractConsidering physical segregation of melt from its residue, the chemical potentials of the components (oxides) are the same in both when segregation occurs. Then, as P–T conditions change, gradients in chemical potential are established between the melt‐rich domains and residue permitting diffusional interaction to occur. In particular, on cooling, the chemical potential of H2O becomes higher in the melt segregation than in the residue, particularly when biotite becomes stable in the residue assemblage. Diffusion of water from the melt to the residue promotes crystallization of anhydrous products from the melt and hydrous products in the residue. This diffusive process, when coupled with melt loss from the rocks subsequent to some degree of crystallization, can result in a significant degree of anhydrous leucosome being preserved in a migmatite with only minor retrogression of the residue. If H2O can diffuse between the melt segregation and all of the residue, then no apparent selvedge between the two will be observed. Alternatively, if H2O can diffuse between the melt segregation and only part of the residue, then a distinct selvedge may be produced. Diffusion of H2O into the residue may be in part responsible for the commonly anhydrous nature of leucosomes, especially in granulite facies migmatites. Diffusion of other relatively mobile species such as Na2O and K2O has a lesser effect on overall melt crystallization but can change the proportion of quartz, plagioclase and K‐feldspar in the resultant leucosome. The diffusion of H2O out of the melt results in the enhanced crystallization of the melt in the segregation and increases the amount of resulting anhydrous leucosome relative to the amount produced if melt crystallized in chemical isolation from the residue. For high residue:melt ratios, the proportion of resulting near‐anhydrous leucosome can approach that of the proportion of melt present at the onset of cooling with only minor loss of melt from a given segregation required. Crystallization of melt segregations via the diffusion of H2O out of them into the host may also play a major role in driving melt‐rich segregations across key rheological transitions that would allow the expulsion of remaining melt from the system.