Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Role of plagioclase crystal chains in the differentiation of partly crystallized basaltic magma

Nature volume 395, pages 343–346 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Melting experiments on samples of basaltic rock from a thick lava flow reveal that when this lava originally began to crystallize, feldspar crystals linked together to form a continuous three-dimensional network of chains when the lava was no more than 25% crystallized. Formation of this network has profound implications for the behaviour and differentiation of basaltic magma. Much of the compositional variation of igneous rocks results from the separation of liquid from crystals, a process that is dramatically affected according to whether crystals occur separately or are linked together in networks.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Three 1-cm cubes of basalt from 1, 47, and 74 m above the base of the Holyoke basalt after heating at 1,112 °C.
Figure 2: Continuous network of plagioclase chains in partially melted basalt from 47 m above base of flow at Tariffville.
Figure 3: Anorthite content of plagioclase crystals in traverse along length of chain.
Figure 4: Serial sections showing monomineralic plagioclase chains in partially melted basalt.
Figure 5: Universal stage measurements of the angular distribution of the (010) plane of 213 plagioclase crystals in a chain relative to the chain axis.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cornwall, H. R. Differentiation in lavas of the Keweenawan series and the origin of the copper deposits of Michigan. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 62, 159–202 (1951).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lindsley, D. H., Smith, D. & Haggerty, S. E. Petrography and mineral chemistry of a differentiated flow of Picture Gorge Basalt near Spray, Oregon. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Yearb. 69, 264–285 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Dostal, J. & Greenough, J. D. in Eastern North American Mesozoic Magmatism(eds Puffer, J. H. & Ragland, P. C.) 149–160 (Spec. Pap. 268, Geol. Soc. Am., (1992)).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  4. Greenough J. D. & Dostal, J. Layered rhyolite bands in a thick North Mountain basalt flow: The products of silicate liquid immiscibility? Mineral. Mag. 56, 309–318 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Puffer, J. H. & Horter, D. L. Origin of pegmatitic segregation veins within flood basalts. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 105, 738–748 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wheelock, M. M. & Marsh, B. D. Silicic segregations in basaltic igneous bodies: Their nature, occurrence and conditions of formation. EOS Abstr. Spring 1994 75 No. 16,, 365 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Philpotts, A. R., Carroll, M. & Hill, J. M. Crystal-mush compaction and the origin of pegmatitic segregation sheets in a thick flood-basalt flow in the Mesozoic Hartford basin, Connecticut. J. Petrol. 37, 811–836 (1996).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Richter, D. H. & Moore, J. G. Petrology of the Kilauea Iki Lava Lake, Hawaii(Prof. Paper 537-B, US Geol. Surv., (1966)).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Moore, J. G. & Evans, B. W. The role of olivine in the crystallization of the prehistoric Makaopuhi tholeiitic lava lake, Hawaii. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 15, 202–223 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Wright, T. L. & Okamura, R. T. Cooling and Crystallization of Tholeiitic Basalt, 1965 Makaopuhi Lava Lake, Hawaii(Prof. Paper 1004, US Geol. Surv., (1977)).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  11. Helz, R. Crystallization history of Kilauea Iki lava lake as seen in drill core recovered in 1967–1979. Bull. Vulcanol. 43, 675–701 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Philpotts, A. R. & Carroll, M. Physical properties of partly melted tholeiitic basalt. Geology 24, 1029–1032 (1996).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Higgins, M. The origin of laminated and massive anorthosite, Sept Iles layered intrusion, Quebec, Canada. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 106, 340–354 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Nicolas, A. Kinematics in magmatic rocks with special reference to gabbros. J. Petrol. 33, 891–915 (1992).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Vogt, J. H. L. The physical chemistry of the crystallization and magmatic differentiation of igneous rocks. J. Geol. 29, 318–350 (1921).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Waff, H. S. & Bulau, J. R. Equilibrium fluid distributions in an ultramafic partial melt under hydrostatic stress conditions. J. Geophys. Res. 84, 6109–6114 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Cooper, R. F. & Kohlstedt, D. L. Interfacial energies in the olivine–basalt system. Adv. Earth Plan. Sci. 12, 217–228 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Hunter, R. H. in Origins of Igneous Layering(ed. Parsons, I.) 473–503 (Reidel, Dordrecht, (1987)).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  19. Shirley, D. N. Differentiation and compaction in the Palisades Sill, New Jersey. J. Petrol. 28, 835–865 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Philpotts, A. R. Principles of Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology(Prentice Hall, NJ, (1990)).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Meurer, W. P. & Boudreau, A. E. Petrology and mineral compositions of the middle banded series of the Stillwater Complex, Montana. J. Petrol. 37, 583–607 (1996).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Marsh, B. D. Solidification fronts and magmatic evolution. Mineral. Mag. 60, 5–40 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank B. D. Marsh for useful comments. This work was supported by a grant from NSF.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 06269, Connecticut, USA

    Anthony R. Philpotts, Jianyang Shi & Caroline Brustman

Authors
  1. Anthony R. Philpotts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jianyang Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Caroline Brustman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anthony R. Philpotts.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Philpotts, A., Shi, J. & Brustman, C. Role of plagioclase crystal chains in the differentiation of partly crystallized basaltic magma. Nature 395, 343–346 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/26404

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/26404

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing