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Mafic enclaves in granitoid intrusions: a catastrophic model of rheological behaviour
Author(s) -
Pesquera A.
Publication year - 1994
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.1365-3121.1994.tb00524.x
Subject(s) - mafic , felsic , geology , geochemistry , intrusion , igneous differentiation , petrology , magma , volcano
The significance of mafic enclaves as indicators of magma mixing processes between juxtaposed felsic and mafic magmas is evaluated from a rheological point of view. A qualitative model for explaining strain and morphological changes in the enclaves has been developed on the basis of the catastrophe theory. Mafic enclaves in intrusive granitoids commonly behave as physical systems that can be described using a cusp catastrophe model. Their behaviour is characterized by bimodality, divergence and sudden changes, which are properties typical of this model. Accordingly, the presence of mafic enclaves showing variable strain and morphology within the same granitoid intrusion would be indicarive of mutual interaction and mingling between mafic and felsic magmas. Due to the characteristics of these processes, it is not possible to establish unambiguous age relationships between the two magmatic components.