Variation curves for SiO2, FeO+Fe2O3, and TiO2 for the differentiation of Skaergaard, Palisade and Dillsburg, and Elephant's Head and New Amalfi intrusions, and the pigeonitic rock series of Izu-Hakone region are compared. Abrupt change of slope of the three curves occurs at approximately the same stage of fractionation for each differentiation series. It is also noticed that the later the stage of the change of slope in the series, the higher the concentration of FeO+Fe2O3 during fractionation. The change of slope is probably caused by appearance of titaniferous magnetite (or magnetite+ilmenite) as a solid phase in the crystallizing magmas, or possibly by sudden increase in the amount of the same mineral separating from the magmas. As the stage of the appearance of magnetite is probably determined by oxygen partial pressure of the magmas, which is in turn related to the H2O content, it is inferred that the Skaergaard differentiation series, where the FeO+Fe2O3 concentration is the highest, was produced from magma with lowest H2O, the pigeonitic rock series, where the FeO+Fe2O3 concentration is the lowest, was produced from magma with highest H2O, and the other two from magmas of in ermediate H2O. In the hypersthenic rock series of Izu-Hakone, the maximum concentration of FeO+Fe2O3 is seen at the earliest stage of fractionation and the maximum FeO+Fe2O3 thereof is even lower than that in the pigeonitic rock series, indicating higher H2O content in the magma of the hypersthenic rock series. The high H2O content in this series is also indicated by the occurrence of orthopyroxene in the groundmass and the appearance of hornblende and biotite as phenocrysts which are normally absent in the other series. The variation trend in chemistry of the hypersthenic rock series agrees with that generally accepted as characteristic of the calc-alkali rock series. It is proposed to confine the term calc-alkali rock series to basalt-andesite-dacite-rhyolite of the hypersthenic rock series and to its plutonic equivalent, if any. The essential factor for producing the calc-alkali rock series is therefore the high concentration of H2O in the magma. It should be remembered that the distribution of the calc-alkali rock series is confined to the areas floored by the sialic crust and also that granitic xenoliths and xenocrysts are common in this series. It is not yet certain however whether contamination of the magma by granitic material is a necessary factor for concentrating H2O in the magma and therefore for producing the calc-alkali rock series.
Read full abstract