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Towards a better understanding of time‐dependent geological processes: kinetics of structural transformations in mineraIs
Author(s) -
Salje Ekhard
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
terra nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.353
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-3121
pISSN - 0954-4879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3121.1989.tb00323.x
Subject(s) - transformation (genetics) , geology , kinetic energy , thermodynamics , mineral , statistical physics , materials science , chemistry , physics , classical mechanics , biochemistry , gene , metallurgy
Recent advances in the theoretical understanding of kinetic processes in minerals are outlined. It is shown that relevant temperature‐pressure‐time information on the geological history of rocks can be extracted from a detailed knowledge of the structural states of some of the constituent mineral phases. Kinetic rate laws for the transformation between these structural states have been derived from order parameter theories (Salje; Salje and Wruck); some of the underlying ideas are reviewed in this paper. Recent progress in the experimental determination of the relevant thermodynamic potentials now makes it possible to treat non‐equilibrium features in a similar way to equilibrium states. The conceptual framework of such investigations is explained.