What factors result in metamorphism?

What factors result in metamorphism?

The main factors that control metamorphic processes are:

• The mineral composition of the parent rock.
• The temperature at which metamorphism takes place.
• The amount and type of pressure during metamorphism.
• The types of fluids (mostly water) that are present during metamorphism.
• The amount of time available for metamorphism.

What is the beginning of metamorphism what is the end of metamorphism?

melting
Metamorphic Mechanisms. The changes in a rock that include metamorphism begin with digenesis (conversion of a loose sediment into a rock), pass through the mineral and textural changes of metamorphism, and end with the melting of the rock.

What happens when contact metamorphism occurs?

Contact Metamorphism occurs when magma comes in contact with an already existing body of rock. When this happens the existing rocks temperature rises and also becomes infiltrated with fluid from the magma. This metamorphism produces rocks such as gneiss and schist.

What is the process of metamorphism?

Metamorphism is a process that changes preexisting rocks into new forms because of increases in temperature, pressure, and chemically active fluids. Metamorphism may affect igneous, sedimentary, or other metamorphic rocks.

What happens to rocks during metamorphism?

Metamorphism is the changing of rocks by heat and pressure. During this process, rocks change either physically and/or chemically. They change so much that they become an entirely new rock. Figure 4.13: The platy layers in this large outcrop of metamorphic rock show the effects of pressure on rocks during metamorphism.

What are the 5 factors that cause metamorphism?

Factors Controlling Metamorphism

• Temperature and pressure. Temperature and pressure are important factors in determining the new minerals that form in a metamorphic rock.
• Water.
• Geostatic pressure.
• Differential stress.
• Figure 1.
• Differential Stress.
• Compressive stress.
• Figure 2.

What is heat in metamorphism?

During metamorphism, protolith chemistry is mildly changed by increased temperature (heat), a type of pressure called confining pressure, and/or chemically reactive fluids. Rock texture is changed by heat, confining pressure, and a type of pressure called directed stress.

Where in Earth does contact metamorphism occur?

Contact metamorphism is usually restricted to relatively shallow depths (low pressure) in the Earth because it is only at shallow depths where there will be a large contrast in temperature between the intruding magma and the surrounding country rock.

How does the structure of a rock change during metamorphism?

One ways rocks may change during metamorphism is by rearrangement of their mineral crystals. When heat and pressure change the environment of a rock, the crystals may respond by rearranging their structure.

When do we expect a metamorphic reaction to take place?

If we are considering a rock of fixed chemical composition, then a metamorphic reaction states the principles of equilibrium. In other words, if we can write a reaction expressing equilibrium between the minerals we see in the rock, we expect that the reaction must have been taking place during metamorphism.

When does diagenesis turn into burial metamorphism?

Burial Metamorphism (Fig. 8.3): occurs when sedimentary rocks that had undergone diagenesis are buried even deeper. Diagenesis grades into burial metamorphism, a relatively mild type of metamorphism resulting from the heat and pressure exerted by overlying sediments and sedimentary rocks.

How are thermal effects related to contact metamorphism?

These thermal affects are usually restricted to the contact zones of the intrusions, hence the term contact metamorphism. However, sometimes hot fluids are released from the intrusions and penetrate the enclosing rocks along fractures and produce contact metamorphic zones.