What is a mafic enclave?
Microgranitic (mafic) enclaves are common components of plutonic bodies and may represent the result of mingling of mafic and felsic magmas. These enclaves are often ellipsoidal or elongate in shape.
What is an enclave rock?
An enclave is a piece of rock totally enclosed within, and differing in some way from the fairly homogeneous igneous rock in which it is found.
What Xenolith means?
Xenoliths, which represent pieces of older rock incorporated into the magma while it was still fluid, may be located near their original positions of detachment or may have settled deep into the intrusion, if their density is greater.
How do enclaves form geology?
In geology, an enclave is an aggregate of minerals or rock observed inside a larger rock body. Micro-granular enclaves in felsic plutons result from the introduction of mafic magma into the magma chamber an its subsequent cooling following incomplete mixing. …
How enclaves are formed?
Enclaves are samples of magma that may not erupt on its own or be exposed at the ground surface. They are thus invaluable in characterizing the accessible range of coeval magmas. Compositional hybridization (mixing) and crystal exchange with host or other magma prior to enclave formation are common.
What are xenoliths and Ophiolites?
Xenoliths are generally small in size relative to the overall body of rock. For example, mantle rocks are not generally exposed at Earth’s surface (except at ophiolites), so xenoliths of mantle rocks are important for learning about the composition of Earth’s mantle. Some xenoliths come from very deep within the Earth.
What is an enclave state?
An enclave is a territory that is completely surrounded by the territory of one other state. An exclave is a part of a state that is geographically separated from the main part by the territory of one or more states. Enclaves are inner and Exclaves are outer.
What is a synonym for enclave?
Synonyms & Near Synonyms for enclave. barrio, ghetto, hood. (or ‘hood)
What is an example of an enclave?
An enclave is a territory (or a part of one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. The Vatican City and San Marino, both enclaved by Italy, and Lesotho, enclaved by South Africa, are completely enclaved sovereign states.
What do xenoliths tell us?
Xenoliths and xenocrysts provide valuable information about the geology of the Earths mantle. Some of the features studied by geologists are temperature, pressure, construction, and movement within the Earth’s surface. Xenoliths can be a piece of rock trapped in a piece of sedimentary rock, but this is rare.
What are microgranitic enclaves?
Microgranitic ( mafic) enclaves are common components of plutonic bodies and may represent the result of mingling of mafic and felsic magmas. These enclaves are often ellipsoidal or elongate in shape.
What are magmatic enclaves?
Magmatic enclaves are volumes of rock surrounded by emplaced host rock of related but distinct composition and of separated genesis (incomplete magmatic mixing ). Enclaves are distinguished from xenoliths, which are fragments of metamorphically altered older country rock that fell into magma or lava and became enveloped within igneous rock.
What is the meaning of mafic?
maf·ic (măf′ĭk) adj. Relating to or containing a group of dark-colored silicate minerals, composed chiefly of magnesium and iron, that occur in igneous rocks, including hornblende, pyroxene, olivine, and biotite. [ma(gnesium)+ Latin f(errum), iron+ -ic.]
What is the difference between enclaves and Schlieren?
Enclaves are also distinguished from schlieren, which are concentrations of mafic material that have crystallized out of a single magma. Microgranitic ( mafic) enclaves are common components of plutonic bodies and may represent the result of mingling of mafic and felsic magmas.