Emplacement and growth of plutons: implications for rates of melting and mass transfer in continental crust

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (Book)Researchpeer-review

Abstract

Granitic intrusions are important tectonic elements of the middle and upper crust of all orogens, and their emplacement represents a major heat and material transport process that has operated throughout the geological record. Despite the importance of granitic intrusions for understanding of crustal evolution, the processes of granite generation, ascent, and emplacement are enduring problems, although great advances have been made over the past 25 years (Pitcher, 1979 Brown, 2001; Petford et al., 2000). One problem that has thwarted progress in this area of research is that each stage in the granite formation process has typically been regarded in isolation, with the demarcation between problems often falling along traditional disciplinary boundaries (e.g., melting and crystallization are petrological problems; ascent and emplacement are geodynamic and structural problems, etc.). The challenge for future research will be to develop integrated models that use an interdisciplinary approach to explore the linkages between all aspects of granitic magmatism (e.g., Petford et al., 1997, 2000).
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEvolution and Differentiation of the Continental Crust
EditorsMichael Brown, Tracy Rushmer
Place of PublicationCambridge UK
PublisherCambridge University Press
Pages455 - 519
Number of pages65
ISBN (Print)9780521782371
Publication statusPublished - 2006
Externally publishedYes

Cite this