Garnet-clinopyroxene Geothermometer Research Articles

Mantle geothermometry: experimental evaluation and recalibration of Fe–Mg geothermometers for garnet-clinopyroxene and garnet-orthopyroxene in peridotite, pyroxenite and eclogite systems

The reliability of eight Fe–Mg exchange geothermobarometers for garnet-bearing peridotites, pyroxenites and eclogites has been examined using a database comprised of more than 300 published peridotite, pyroxenite and eclogite experiments conducted from 10 to 70 kbar and 850 to > 1650^circ{rm C}. We have tested Fe–Mg exchange geothermometers suitable for a range of mantle lithologies, including websterite, harzburgite, wehrlite and eclogite. All geothermometers maintained an average difference in experimental and calculated temperature (T) left( {Delta {text{T}} = {text{T}}_{{exp - { }}} {text{T}}_{{{text{calc}}}} } right) of less than pm 50 °C with a standard deviation of Delta {text{T}} between pm 50 to 150 °C. Most geothermometers performed well across a narrow range in ln {text{Kd}}_{{{text{Fe}} - {text{Mg}}}}^{{{text{A}} - {text{B}}}} (where {text{Kd}}_{{{text{Fe}} - {text{Mg}}}}^{{{text{A}} - {text{B}}}} =frac{{left( {{text{Fe}}_{{text{A}}} times {text{Mg}}_{{text{B}}} } right)}}{{({text{Fe}}_{{text{B}}} times {text{Mg}}_{{text{A}}} )}}), however, systematic overestimation and underestimation of T were observed outside of the optimal range of {text{lnKd}}_{{{text{Fe}} - {text{Mg}}}}^{{{text{A}} - {text{B}}}}. Increases in experimental pressure (P) adversely affected several geothermometers, particularly those calibrated empirically using natural samples. All previously published calibrations of the garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometer were unable to reliably reproduce the experimental T for both peridotite and eclogite experimental compositions, which hinders their confident application to natural datasets. To improve the state of mantle geothermobarometry we have used our experimental database to recalibrate the (1) garnet-clinopyroxene Fe–Mg exchange geothermometer, and (2) garnet-orthopyroxene Fe–Mg exchange geothermometer. Each geothermometer has been recalibrated across an extended P, T, and compositional range. The inclusion of eclogitic experiments in the calibration for the garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometer permits application to both eclogitic and peridotitic/pyroxenitic assemblages equilibrated under a wide range of PT conditions in the upper mantle. Using multiple linear regression to solve for lnKd, we found the following expressions best reproduced the experimental T (℃) of our dataset: TFe-Mggrt-cpx(∘C)=3356.34-0.008×Pkbar+0.259×XCagrt+0.914×XMggrt+-0.159×Jdcpx+lnKdFe-Mggrt-cpx+1.265-273\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\ ext{T}}_{{{\ ext{Fe}} - {\ ext{Mg}}}}^{{{\ ext{grt}} - {\ ext{cpx}}}} { (}^{ \\circ } {\ ext{C)}} = { }\\frac{3356.34}{{\\left( {\\left( { - 0.008 \ imes {\ ext{P }}\\left( {{\ ext{kbar}}} \\right)} \\right) + \\left( {0.259 \ imes {\ ext{X}}_{{{\ ext{Ca}}}}^{{{\ ext{grt}}}} } \\right) + \\left( {0.914 \ imes {\ ext{X}}_{{{\ ext{Mg}}}}^{{{\ ext{grt}}}} } \\right) + \\left( { - 0.159 \ imes {\ ext{Jd}}^{{{\ ext{cpx}}}} } \\right) + \\left( {{\ ext{ln}}\\left( {{\ ext{ Kd}}_{{{\ ext{Fe}} - {\ ext{Mg}}}}^{{{\ ext{grt}} - {\ ext{cpx}}}} } \\right) + 1.265} \\right)} \\right)}} - 273{ }$$\\end{document}TFe-Mggrt-opx(∘C)=1851.85-0.007×Pkbar+-1.83×XCagrt+lnKdFe-Mggrt-cpx+1.08-273\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\ ext{T}}_{{{\ ext{Fe}} - {\ ext{Mg}}}}^{{{\ ext{grt}} - {\ ext{opx}}}} { (}^{ \\circ } {\ ext{C)}} = { }\\frac{1851.85}{{\\left( {\\left( { - 0.007 \ imes {\ ext{P }}\\left( {{\ ext{kbar}}} \\right)} \\right) + \\left( { - 1.83 \ imes {\ ext{X}}_{{{\ ext{Ca}}}}^{{{\ ext{grt}}}} } \\right) + \\left( {{\ ext{ln}}\\left( {{\ ext{ Kd}}_{{{\ ext{Fe}} - {\ ext{Mg}}}}^{{{\ ext{grt}} - {\ ext{cpx}}}} } \\right) + 1.08} \\right)} \\right)}} - 273$$\\end{document}. where, {text{X}}_{{{text{Ca}}}}^{{{text{grt}}}} =frac{{{text{Ca}}}}{{left( {{text{Ca}} + {text{Fe}} + {text{Mg}}} right)}}, {text{Kd}}_{{{text{Fe}} - {text{Mg}}}}^{{{text{grt}} - {text{opx}}}} =frac{{left( {{text{Fe}}_{{{text{grt}}}} times {text{Mg}}_{{{text{opx}}}} } right)}}{{({text{Fe}}_{{{text{opx}}}} times {text{Mg}}_{{{text{grt}}}} )}} , {text{X}}_{{{text{Mg}}}}^{{{text{grt}}}} =frac{{{text{Mg}}}}{{left( {{text{Ca}} + {text{Fe}} + {text{Mg}}} right)}}, {text{Jd}}^{{{text{cpx}}}} = {text{Na}} - {text{Cr}} - 2 times {text{Ti}}, {text{Kd}}_{{{text{Fe}} - {text{Mg}}}}^{{{text{grt}} - {text{cpx}}}} =frac{{left( {{text{Fe}}_{{{text{grt}}}} times {text{Mg}}_{{{text{cpx}}}} } right)}}{{({text{Fe}}_{{{text{cpx}}}} times {text{Mg}}_{{{text{grt}}}} )}}, with all elements calculated on the basis of 12 oxygen anions in garnet and 6 oxygen anions in clino- and orthopyroxene. Fe2+ = total Fe. Our updated calibrations resolve several issues with earlier calibrations, including a poor performance at elevated P and compositional limitations. An improvement in precision and accuracy has been demonstrated through application to the experimental calibration dataset, a second independent set of published experimental data, and to natural peridotites, pyroxenites and eclogites from on and off craton settings. Iterative PT estimates on natural datasets calculated using our updated calibrations compare well with estimates from widely used calibrations such as the Taylor (1998) two-pyroxene solvus geothermometer. We anticipate that this contribution will provide an important reference for the reliability of mantle geothermometers and that our updated calibrations will be used in future studies on peridotite, pyroxenite and eclogite inclusions in diamond and mantle-derived xenoliths.

Eocene to Oligocene retrogression and recrystallization of the Stak eclogite in northwest Himalaya

Highly retrogressed eclogite is present in the Stak massif located on the northern edge of the Indian continental margin in northern Pakistan. Garnet in foliated samples contains omphacite inclusions (Xjd=0.33–0.40) and quartz inclusions and latter retain Raman spectroscopic evidence for high residual pressures up to 0.52GPa. These garnet grains do not show apparent compositional zoning. By contrast, one sample contains euhedral grains of garnet with quartz inclusions that show residual pressures as low as 0.25GPa. These garnet grains do not contain omphacite inclusions, and show different compositional zoning compared to the omphacite-bearing garnet. The metamorphic condition of this sample was estimated to be 1.0–1.4GPa/650–710°C using residual pressure values of quartz inclusions in garnets and the garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer. The U–Pb ages of zircon grains range from 158 to 28Ma with a cluster between at ca. 32Ma, which is younger than that of the peak ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic ages of eclogitic massifs in the northwestern Himalaya, e.g. Kaghan and Tso Morari. We suggest that the retrogressed eclogitic rocks in the Stak massif were heated by nearby Nanga Parbat Haramosh massif at ca. 32Ma, subsequent to peak eclogite facies conditions. During this heating, part of the eclogite was largely recrystallized to form euhedral garnet grains. These results suggest that the Stak massif resided at a lower crustal depth while other ultrahigh-pressure massifs were exhumed in western Himalaya.

A new formulation of garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer based on accumulation and statistical analysis of a large experimental data set

AbstractPublished experimental data including garnet and clinopyroxene as run products were used to develop a new formulation of the garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer based on 333 garnet–clinopyroxene pairs. Only experiments with graphite capsules were selected because of difficulty in estimating the Fe3+ content of clinopyroxene. For the calibration, a published subregular‐solution model was adopted to express the non‐ideality of garnet. The magnitude of the Fe–Mg excess interaction parameter for clinopyroxene (WFeMgCpx), and differences in enthalpy and entropy of the Fe–Mg exchange reaction were regressed from the accumulated experimental data set. As a result, a markedly negative value was obtained for the Fe–Mg excess interaction parameter of clinopyroxene (WFeMgCpx = − 3843 J mol−1). The pressure correction is simply treated as linear, and the difference in volume of the Fe–Mg exchange reaction was calculated from a published thermodynamic data set and fixed to be −120.72 (J kbar−1 mol−1). The regressed and obtained thermometer formulation is as follows: image where T = temperature, P = pressure (kbar), A = 0.5 Xgrs (Xprp − Xalm − Xsps), B = 0.5 Xgrs (Xprp − Xalm + Xsps), C = 0.5 (Xgrs + Xsps) (Xprp − Xalm), Xprp = Mg/(Fe2+ + Mn + Mg + Ca)Grt, Xalm = Fe/(Fe2+ + Mn + Mg + Ca)Grt, Xsps = Mn/(Fe2+ + Mn + Mg + Ca)Grt, Xgrs = Ca/(Fe2+ + Mn + Mg + Ca)Grt, XMgCpx = Mg/(Al + Fetotal + Mg)Cpx, XFeCpx = Fe2+/(Al + Fetotal + Mg)Cpx, KD = (Fe2+/Mg)Grt/(Fe2+/Mg)Cpx, Grt = garnet, Cpx = clinopyroxene. A test of this new formulation to the accumulated data gave results that are concordant with the experimental temperatures over the whole range of the experimental temperatures (800–1820 °C), with a standard deviation (1 sigma) of 74 °C. Previous formulations of the thermometer are inconsistent with the accumulated data set; they underestimate temperatures by about 100 °C at >1300 °C and overestimate by 100–200 °C at <1300 °C. In addition, they tend to overestimate temperatures for high‐Ca garnet (Xgrs ≈ 0.30–0.50). This new formulation has been tested against previous formulations of the thermometer by application to natural eclogites. This gave temperatures some 20–100 °C lower than previous formulations.

Metamorphic evolution of low‐T eclogite from the North Qilian orogen, NW China: evidence from petrology and calculated phase equilibria in the system NCKFMASHO

AbstractLow‐T eclogites in the North Qilian orogen, NW China share a common assemblage of garnet, omphacite, glaucophane, epidote, phengite, quartz and rutile with or without paragonite. Phase relations for the low‐T eclogites can be modelled well in the system NCKFMASHO with the updated solid‐solution models for amphibole and clinopyroxene. Garnet in the eclogite typically exhibits growth zonations in which pyrope increases while grossular somewhat decreases from core to rim, which is modelled as having formed mainly in the P–T conditions of lawsonite‐eclogite facies at the pre‐peak stage. Omphacite shows an increase in jadeite component as aegirine and also total FeO decrease in going from the inclusions in garnet to grains in the matrix, and from core to rim of zoned crystals, reflecting an increase in metamorphic P–T conditions. Glaucophane exhibits a compositional variation in X(gl) (= Fe2+/(Fe2+ + Mg)) and F(gl) (= Fe3+/(Fe3+ + Al) in M2 site), which decrease from the inclusions in garnet to crystals in the matrix, consistent with an increase in P–T conditions. However, for zoned matrix crystals, the X(gl) and F(gl) increase from core to rim, is interpreted to reflect a late‐stage decompression. Using composition isopleths for garnet rim and phengite in P–T pseudosections, peak P–T conditions for three samples Q5–45, Q5–01 and Q7–28 were estimated as 530–540 °C at 2.10–2.25 GPa, 580–590 °C at 2.30–2.45 GPa and 575–590 °C at 2.50–2.65 GPa, respectively, for the same assemblage garnet + omphacite + glaucophane + lawsonite (+ phengite + quartz + rutile) at the peak stage. The eclogites suggest similar P–T ranges to their surrounding felsic–pelitic schists. During post‐peak decompression of the eclogites, the most distinctive change involves the transformation of lawsonite to epidote, releasing large amount of water in the rock. The released fluid promoted further growth of glaucophane at the expense of omphacite and, in appropriate bulk‐rock compositions, paragonite formed. The decompression of eclogite did not lead to pronounced changes in garnet and phengite compositions. Peak P–T conditions of the North Qilian eclogite are well constrained using both the average P–T and pseudosection approaches in Thermocalc. Generally, the conventional garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer is too sensitive to be used for constraining the temperature of low‐T eclogite because of the uncertainty in Fe3+ determination in omphacite and slight variations in mineral compositions because of incomplete equilibration.

The coexistence of jadeite and omphacite in an eclogite-facies metaquartz diorite from the southern Sesia Zone, Western Alps, Italy

An association of jadeite and omphacite has been newly found in an eclogite-facies metaquartz diorite collected from the Orco Valley area, southern part of the Eclogitic Micaschist Complex of the Sesia Zone, Western Alps, Italy. Both the jadeite and omphacite occur as idiomorphic to subidiomorphic grains in the matrix, and some of them are in contact with each other with a sharp grain boundary. Most of the jadeite shows faint and irregular zoning, with a chemical variation of Xjd (AlVIjd /(Na + Ca)) = 0.75-0.90. Half of the omphacite grains is homogeneous, and the remainder shows various zoning patterns. Some omphacite grains exhibit prograde zoning with an increase in Xjd from 0.31 to 0.55 and a decrease in Xaeg (= Fe3+/(Na + Ca)) from 0.14 to 0.04 from the core to the rim. The rim composition of the zoned omphacite is similar to that of homogeneous omphacite (Xjd = 0.40-0.56). The average rim composition of the jadeite-omphacite pairs in direct contact shows an apparent miscibility gap between Xjd = 0.50 ± 0.06, Xaeg = 0.09 ± 0.03, and Xaug (= Ca/(Na + Ca)) = 0.41 ± 0.05 in omphacite, and Xjd = 0.79 ± 0.04, Xaeg = 0.08 ± 0.03, and Xaug = 0.13 ± 0.03 in jadeite. Application of Powell (1985) garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometer gives T = 470 ± 30°C at P = 12 kbar and application of Waters and Martin (1993) garnet-omphacite-phengite geobarometer gives P = 12.4 kbar at T = 440°C and P = 12.0 kbar at T = 500°C as peak metamorphic conditions. Composition data of the pyroxene P2/n and C2/c compositional fields obtained from both this study and the literature suggest that: (1) the shape of two miscibility gaps between jadeite and omphacite and between omphacite and augite in the jadeite-augite-aegirine phase diagram of Carpenter (1983) is more concordant with the natural data than that of Holland (1990), (2) the miscibility gap between omphacite and augite closes at T ∼ 500°C and P = 15 kbar, but the miscibility gap between jadeite and omphacite may still exist, and (3) the miscibility gap between jadeite and omphacite closes at T = 700-850°C and P =15-45 kbar.

Pitfalls in geothermobarometry of eclogites: Fe 3+ and changes in the mineral chemistry of omphacite at ultrahigh pressures

The relatively low-variance mineral assemblage of a talc-kyanite eclogite from Dabie Shan enabled application of both conventional geothermobarometers (garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometer and the garnet-omphacite-phengite geobarometer) and a multi-equilibrium method to determine peak P-T conditions (THERMOCALC, “average PT”). The results were highly discrepant: 840 °C / 31.1 kbar vs. 590 °C / 29.8 kbar. Mossbauer spectroscopy showed that Fe3+/Fetotal in omphacite was significantly higher than the value obtained from standard formula recalculation. When the activities were corrected for Fe endmembers, geothermobarometry gave consistent results (606 °C / 31.3 kbar vs. 585 °C / 30.8 kbar). These are close to those obtained earlier by “average PT”, confirming the robustness of the multi-equilibrium approach. The high Fe3+ concentration in omphacite is best explained using a Ca-eskola endmember Ca0.5[]0.5AlSi2O6 and allowing corresponding vacancies in the omphacite structure.

Mineral inclusions in zircon from diamond-bearing marble in the Kokchetav massif, northern Kazakhstan

In order to constrain the metamorphic evolution of deeply subducted impure marble from the Kokchetav massif, we investigated mineral inclusions in zircon, which is known to protect ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) phases from late-stage overprinting. Consequently, diamond, coesite, diopside, garnet, phlogopite, calcite, dolomite, graphite and apatite were identified as inclusion in the zircons. Silica phases were absent in the matrix, indicating they were completely consumed by the following prograde reaction: \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(Dolomite {+} 2 SiO\_{2} = Diopside {+} 2 CO\_{2}\) \end{document}. The relict of coesite inclusions in zircon indicates that prograde P-T trajectory crossed cut the quartz-coesite transition before the decarbonate reaction. Matrix diopsides contain abundant exsolved phengite lamellae, whereas the exsolution is absent in the inclusions in zircon. The diopside inclusions contain higher amounts of K2O (up to 0.56 wt%) and CaEskola component (up to 3.5 mol%) than those of the matrix (0.14 wt% and 2.1 mol%, respectively). Thus, phengite exsolution occurs in matrix pyroxene with low K2O and CaEskola components compared to inclusions in zircon. This observation indicates that decreasing K2O and CaEskola components during decompression resulted in the phengite exsolution in diopside. A trace of hydroxyl in phengite needles was perhaps initially incorporated within the precursor clinopyroxene under high-pressure conditions. The peak metamorphic P-T conditions of the impure marble are estimated to 60-80 kbar and 960-1050°C, derived from K2O solubility in diopside buffered by phlogopite and from the garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometer.

Garnet–omphacite–phengite thermobarometry of eclogites from the coesite-bearing unit of the southern Dora-Maira Massif, Western Alps

Using relevant geothermobarometric methods, P– T-data were collected for the reconstruction of the metamorphic evolution of 34 eclogite samples taken from small lenses and boudins within the ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic coesite-bearing Brossasco-Isasca Unit (BIU) of the Dora-Maira Massif. The mineral phases used (clinopyroxene, garnet, phengite), or growth zones thereof, were identified as being coexistent for different stages of metamorphism on the basis of careful petrographic studies. Of several published geothermobarometers, the garnet–clinopyroxene thermometer of Powell [Powell, R., 1985. Regression diagnostics and robust regression in geothermometer/geobarometer calibration: the garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer revisited. J. Metamorph. Geol., 3, pp. 231–243.] combined with the garnet–clinopyroxene–phengite barometer after Waters and Martin [Waters, D., Martin, H.N., 1993. The garnet–clinopyroxene–phengite barometer. Terra Abstr., 5, pp. 410–411.] was chosen here, because it provided the most reliable results. Nevertheless, the scatter of P– T-data points for the prograde (stage I), peak metamorphic (stage II), and retrograde (stage III) development of the eclogites is still considerable. Among the many possible reasons for this inconsistency discussed, a partial lack of equilibration of some of the eclogites during their metamorphic history should be taken into account. Despite the data scatter, an average P– T-path could be estimated, which includes the following coordinates: for stage I: 15 kbar/500°C; 25 kbar/570°C; 32 kbar/650°C; for stage II: 36 kbar/720°C; and for stage III: 24 kbar/680°C and 14 kbar/620°C. This is in fair agreement with P– T-paths derived earlier for other rock types of the BIU on the basis of other geothermobarometers.

Petrogenesis of impure dolomitic marble from the Dabie Mountains, central China

Petrogeneses of impure dolomitic marble and enclosed eclogite from the Xinyan area, Dabie ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane, central China were investigated with a special focus on fluid characteristics. Identified carbonate‐bearing UHP assemblages are Dol + Coe ± Arg (or Mgs) ± Ap, Dol + Omp ± Coe ± Ap ± Arg (or Mgs), Phen + Omp + Coe + Dol ± Arg and Dol + Coe + Phen + Rt ± Omp ± Arg ± Ap. Retrograde assemblages are characterized by symplectitic replacement of Tr–Ab and Di–Ab after omphacite, and Phl–Pl symplectite after phengite. The P–T conditions of UHP metamorphism were estimated to be P > 2.7 GPa and T > 670 °C by the occurrence of coesite inclusions in garnet in enclosed eclogite and garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer. The P–T conditions of initial amphibolitization were estimated to be 620 < T < 670 °C and 1.1 < P < 1.3 GPa by calcite–dolomite solvus thermometer and mineral parageneses. Phase relations in P–T–XCO2 space in the systems NaAl–CMSCH and KCMASCH were calculated in order to constrain fluid compositions. Compositions and parageneses of UHP‐stage minerals suggest the presence of fluid in UHP and exhumation stages. Occurrence of retrograde low‐variance assemblages indicates that fluid composition during amphibolitization was buffered. A metastable persistence of magnesite and very restricted occurrence of calcite, magnesite and dolomite suggest a low fluid content in the post‐amphibolitization stage.

Pressure–temperature conditions and retrograde paths of eclogites, garnet–glaucophane rocks and schists from South Sulawesi, Indonesia

High‐pressure metamorphic rocks exposed in the Bantimala area, c. 40 km north‐east of Ujung Pandang, were formed as a Cretaceous subduction complex with fault‐bounded slices of melange, chert, basalt, turbidite, shallow‐marine sedimentary rocks and ultrabasic rocks. Eclogites, garnet–glaucophane rocks and schists of the Bantimala complex have estimated peak temperatures of T =580–630 °C at 18 kbar and T =590–640 °C at 24 kbar, using the garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer. The garnet–omphacite–phengite equilibrium is used to estimate pressures. The distribution coefficient KD1=[(Xpyr)3(Xgrs)6/(Xdi)6]/[(Al/Mg)M2,wm (Al/Si)T2,wm]3 among omphacite, garnet and phengite is a good index for metamorphic pressures. The KD1values of the Bantimala eclogites were compared with those of eclogites with reliable P–T estimates. This comparison suggests that peak pressures of the Bantimala eclogites were P=18–24 kbar at T =580–640 °C. These results are consistent with the P–T range calculated using garnet–rutile–epidote–quartz and lawsonite–omphacite–glaucophane–epidote equilibria.

Effect of Jadeite-content on the Garnet-clinopyroxene Geothermometer for an Ultrahigh-pressure Eclogite Complex.

The temperature estimation using garnet (Grt)-clinopyroxene (Cpx) Fe-Mg exchange geothermometers was carried out for an ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogite complex in the Su-Lu terrain, eastern China. The obtained temperatures (from 600 to 900°C at 30kbar) and KD (=(Fe/Mg)Grt/(Fe/Mg)Cpx=8-13) show a wide variation and they are clearly dependent upon the jadeite-content (Xjd) of Cpx. It mainly owes to a positive correlation between fe#(=Fe2+/(Fe2++Mg)) and Xjd in Cpx. Such a phenomenon was known for Cpx with Xjd higher than 0.7 in the quartz-eclogite facies rocks, but it is more clearly recognized from omphacite to jadeite in the coesite-bearing UHP eclogite. We may need a new correction factor on Xjd to estimate the equilibrated T of UHP rocks.

Assessment of the garnet–clinopyroxene Fe–Mg exchange thermometer using new experimental data

A detailed high‐pressure experimental study of two mafic xenoliths, in which coexisting garnet and clinopyroxene (± plagioclase, spinel and olivine) were crystallized over a P–T range of 10–30 kbar and 950–1200°C, has revealed significant differences in temperatures from those estimated for coexisting garnets and clinopyroxenes using the Ellis & Green Fe–Mg exchange thermometer. The results show perfect matching at 30 kbar, 1150–1200°C, but increasing deviation at lower pressure and lower temperature, with the Ellis & Green calibration reaching a ΔT (overestimate) of c. 145°C at 10–12 kbar and 950°C. The grossular content of the garnet increases from c. 21 mol.% at 10 kbar to 26–31 mol.% at 30 kbar. These results confirm other recent experimental studies that show that the pressure correction, and possibly to a lesser extent the correction for grossular content, applied by Ellis & Green, are not appropriate for lower pressure conditions, and give estimated temperatures that are significantly high when applied to granulitic terranes formed at c. 10 kbar. The new reconnaissance results allow a graphical interpolation of a garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer based on the Fe–Mg exchange reaction which should be applicable to assemblages formed under lower crustal conditions.

Mixing behavior in quaternary garnet solid solution and an extended Ellis and Green garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometer

Applications of the different formulations of garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometers to crustal granulites and particularly to metamorphosed manganese formations show a wide scatter of estimates. This is primarily related to the uncertainty associated with the formulation of the activity-composition relationship in garnet solid solution besides that in the clinopyroxene solid solution. The largest uncertainty appears to have resulted from the adopted Mg-Mn interaction parameter in garnet which is yet to be experimentally determined. A fresh statistical regression of eleven pairs of garnet and clinopyroxene equilibrated at identical P-T conditions from a manganese formation in India yields W Mg-Mn Gt (=WMn-Mg) value of 1600±500 cal/mols. An extension of the Ellis and Green (1979) geothermometer, known to work well in normal granulites, incorporating terms associated with the activity coefficients of the exchangeable cations, now yields consistent temperature estimation from normal granulites as well as from metamorphosed manganese formations. The geothermometer, however, will not work well for garnet having XFe≥0.65 and clinopyroxenes containing appreciable Na, Al and/or Fe3+.

The garnet-clinopyroxene Fe-Mg geothermometer ? a reinterpretation of existing experimental data

Experimental data on the partitioning of Fe2+ and Mg between garnet and clinopyroxene (Raheim and Green 1974; Mori and Green 1978; Ellis and Green 1979) have been used to construct a new expression for the garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometer, including a curvilinear relationship between In Kd and XCa(ga): T(°C)=((-6173(XCa)2+6731 XCa+1879 +10 P(kb))/(lnKd+1.393))−273

A garnet–hornblende geothermometer: calibration, testing, and application to the Pelona Schist, Southern California

Abstract A garnet–hornblende Fe–Mg exchange geothermometer has been calibrated against the garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer of Ellis & Green (1979) using data on coexisting garnet + hornblende + clinopyroxene in amphibolite and granulite facies metamorphic assemblages. Data for the Fe–Mg exchange reaction between garnet and hornblende have been fitted to the equation. In KD=Δ (XCa,g) where KD is the Fe–Mg distribution coefficient, using a robust regression approach, giving a thermometer of the form: with very satisfactory agreement between garnet–hornblende and garnet–clinopyroxene temperatures. The thermometer is applicable below about 850°C to rocks with Mn‐poor garnet and common hornblende of widely varying chemistry metamorphosed at low aO2.Application of the garnet–hornblende geothermometer to Dalradian garnet amphibolites gives temperatures in good agreement with those predicted by pelite petrogenetic grids, ranging from 520°C for the lower garnet zone to 565–610°C for the staurolite to kyanite zones. These results suggest that systematic errors introduced by closure temperature problems in the application of the garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer to the ‘calibration’data set are not serious. Application to ‘eclogitic’garnet amphibolites suggests that garnet and hornblende seldom attain Fe–Mg exchange equilibrium in these rocks.Quartzo‐feldspathic and mafic schists of the Pelona Schist on Sierra Pelona, Southern California, were metamorphosed under high pressure greenschist, epidote–amphibolite and (oligoclase) amphibolite facies beneath the Vincent Thrust at pressures deduced to be 10±1 kbar using the phengite geobarometer, and 8–9kbar using the jadeite content of clinopyroxene in equilibrium with oligoclase and quartz. Application of the garnet–hornblende thermometer gives temperatures ranging from about 480°C at the garnet isograd through 570°C at the oligoclase isograd to a maximum of 620–650°C near the thrust. Inverted thermal gradients beneath the Vincent Thrust were in the range 170 to 250°C per km close to the thrust.

An evaluation of garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometry in granulites

Four new formulations of the garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometer (Ellis and Green 1979; Ganguly 1979; Saxena 1979; Dahl 1980) have been evaluated in the Adirondacks and five other granulite terranes using results from 94 mineral pairs. The Saxena and Ganguly formulations give temperatures that are generally 100–150° C above those constrained by phase equilibria and other independent thermometry while the empirical calibration of Dahl gives widely scattered, erratic results. Despite some scatter in the data, the Ellis and Green calibration appears to be more accurate and precise than the others and is the most useful garnet-clinopyroxene thermometer currently available for quantitative thermometry in granulites. All four formulations are sensitive to large variations (>70–80° C) in temperature suggesting that problems with accuracy and precision can be improved with further refinement of model-based aspects of the thermometers.