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TEXTURAL AND MICROANALYSIS OF IGNEOUS ROCKS: TOOLS ...

TEXTURAL AND MICROANALYSIS OF IGNEOUS ROCKS: TOOLS ...

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crystals (glomerocrysts: Fig. 4.4a). Despite the presence of glomerocrysts, most<br />

Unit 4 plagioclase crystals are present as individual euhedral crystals. I suggest<br />

that the normal zoned plagioclase phenocrysts bear a close genetic relationship<br />

with the Unit 4 host basalt, whereas the reverse zoned crystals likely come from<br />

disaggregated glomerocrysts that crystallized earlier and under different condi-<br />

tions. The mixture of normal and reverse zoned crystals indicates that plagioclase<br />

crystals were recycled throughout the magmatic system during the petrogenesis<br />

of the Unit 4 basalt, which is significant in that the plagioclase crystals provide a<br />

greater temporal record of magma evolution.<br />

The majority of the plagioclase phenocrysts in the Unit 10 basalt examined in<br />

this study exhibit reverse zonation, which indicates they may have initially grown<br />

from a more evolved and/or crustally contaminated magma then exposed to a more<br />

primitive magma just before or during eruption. A significant fraction of the large<br />

plagioclase phenocrysts in the Unit 10 basalt sample examined in this study are<br />

present within glomerocrysts (Fig. 4.4b). Individual Unit 10 plagioclase crystals<br />

not present in glomerocrysts are generally sub-rounded and are probably from<br />

disaggregated glomerocrysts. I suggest that a large amount of mushy plagioclase<br />

dominated crystal debris was entrained prior to and during eruption of the Unit<br />

10 basalt and is the primary source of plagioclase phenocrysts in this basalt.<br />

Trace element and Sr isotope data provide a greater insight into these processes<br />

and whether early formed Unit 4 and 10 crystals provide insight into temporal<br />

variations in crustal assimilation.<br />

207

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