Rocks and minerals as objects of geophysical studies

Abstract

Results derived from the study of petrophysical properties and mineralogy of rocks, minerals, and model objects differing in formation conditions and composition are presented. Petromagnetic and paleomagnetic characteristics of rock samples are examined and modeling experiments on crystallization of ferromagnetic minerals are carried out in a wide region of pressures and temperatures. Minerals of rocks of different origins and ages (igneous and metamorphic rocks, xenoliths, and megacrystals) are studied, and the physicochemical conditions of their formation are reconstructed. Constraints are obtained on redox conditions of occurrence of rocks, the depth of magma chambers, and implications of secondary superimposed processes of metasomatism and metamorphism for variations in physical properties of Earth’s interior substance with depth. The structural factor is shown to be of great significance for the formation of magnetic properties of iron oxides. Using mineral geothermobarometry, the deep distributions of temperature and oxygen fugacity beneath volcanically active regions are estimated.