Open AccessMetastable eutectic equilibrium brought down to Earth
Author(s) -
Rietmeijer Frans J. M.,
Nuth Joseph A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/00eo00303
Subject(s) - metastability , metamorphic rock , thermodynamic equilibrium , eutectic system , thermodynamics , ideal (ethics) , phase (matter) , kinetic energy , stability (learning theory) , earth (classical element) , chemistry , geology , computer science , mathematics , physics , crystallography , philosophy , classical mechanics , geochemistry , microstructure , organic chemistry , machine learning , epistemology , mathematical physics
Thermodynamic equilibrium feels comfortable because it satisfies our desire for order. For kinetic reasons, this ideal state is rarely established. Equilibrium describes the state of a system, but not how it got there. Still, we accept that metamorphic reactions will not occur at the P‐T conditions predicted by the experimentally determined phase equilibria stability curves. Instead such reactions require metamorphic overstepping to provide the driving force to adjust the mineralogy to the new P‐T conditions.