Seismic shock induced formation of garnet coronas in eclogites: A perspective

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2025.8.64

Abstract

Abstract:

High-pressure metamorphic rocks are distributed along fossil seismic faults in orogenic belts. It is generally believed that high-pressure metamorphism occurs due to fluid infiltration into deep faults within subducted slabs. However, studies of garnet coronas in eclogites show that these textures are characteristic of mineral growth through fluid-absent metamorphic reactions, reflecting disequilibrium during the formation of the eclogite assemblages. Phase diagram modeling of plagioclase pseudomorphs from various localities indicates that the high-pressure assemblages are H₂O-undersaturated. On the other hand, the corona textures, like the stellate and micropoikilitic textures, suggest crystallization in rapid processes. The rapid growth of high-pressure minerals under H₂O-undersaturated conditions requires unusually high diffusion and reaction rates, which can be explained by the effect of seismic shock waves. This is supported by accumulating evidence, here particularly referenced to data at Yangkou in the Chinese Su-Lu high-pressure metamorphic belt.

Key words: corona, disequilibrium, eclogitization, reaction rate, seismic shock, solid-state diffusion

CLC Number:

P578.947

YANG Jianjun. Seismic shock induced formation of garnet coronas in eclogites: A perspective[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2025, 32(6): 276-285.

Figures/Tables 4

Fig.1 Corona textures in eclogitized gabbros. a modified after [25]; b adapted from [30].

Fig.2 Isothermal p-M(H2O) pseudosection at 500 ℃ for the plagioclase pseudomorphs. Adapted from [26].

Fig.3 Explosion pattern formed by rutile granules in a garnet grain in the coesite-bearing eclogite breccia at Yangkou. Adapted from [52].

Fig.4 Schematic illustration for the formation of garnet coronas between augite and plagioclase during eclogitization of a gabbro at Yangkou

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