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Time Scales of Crystal
Fractionation in
Magma ChambersIntegrating
Physical,
Isotopic and Geochemical
Perspectives
JOURNAL OF PETROLOGY
C. J.
HAWKESWOR
TH
S. BLAKE
P.EVANS
R. HUGHES
RECEIVED
SEPTEMBER
21, 1999;
REVISED
TYPESCRIPT
ACCEPTED
FEBRUARY 7,
2000
4/19/12
INTRODUCTION
The rate of crystallization in mafic
magmas takes much longer than in more
evolved magmas.

A simple heat balance model for an
evolving magma chamber is used to make
predictions of the time scales for magma
differentiation,which are compared with
geologic and isotopic constraints on the
rates of crystallization.
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PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES OF
COOLING AND
CRYSTALLIZATION

Magma crystallizes as a result of cooling

and degassing.

The rates at which thermal energy is lost

from magma chambers maintains
geothermal power outputs of 100 1000
MW.

The maximum amount of cooling can be

estimated equating power output (P) , to
the thermal energy lost from a fixed
volume of magma(V) divided by the
cooling time (tcool).
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P= V (c T + L)/tcool.
is the magma density .
c is the specific heat capacity.
T is the temperature drop.
L is the latent heat of crystallization.
is the mass fraction of crystals grown at
this temparature range.


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U series isotopes

Uranium-238 is an emitter, decaying

through the 18-memberuranium
seriesintolead-206.

The intermediate isotopes of the

chain that have very short lives
relative to their parents ,can be used
to date rocks and minerals formed
within the last few hundred years.
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Radioactive decay equations
multiply each side by
et
substitute N=N0-
D
t
e N N

0
t
e N D N


0 0
t
e N N D


0 0
) 1 (
0
t
e N D


0
N Ne
t

D N Ne
t
+

substitute N0=N-
D
N Ne D
t


) 1 (
t
e N D


N
1

1
N
2

2
N
3
dN
1
dt

1
N
1
dN
2
dt

1
N
1

2
N
2
dN
3
dt

2
N
2
Decay Chain Systematics:
Consider a 3-member decay chain:
Evolution of this system is governed by the coupled
equations:
Note that at secular equil,
2
d
0
d
N
t

N
2
(t)

1

2

1
N
1
o
e

1
t
e

2
t
( )
+ N
2
o
e

2
t

234U Excess
The activity of (234U)excess decreases with
time:
234
234 234 0 t
Ex Ex
U U e

And excess 234U corresponds to the 234U not supported by

238U:
234
234 238 234 0 238
( )
t
U U U U e

+
And dividing through by 238U activity, we
obtain:
234
234 0 238 234
238 238
1
t
A
U U U
e
U U

_ _
+

, ,

230Th Deficiency
So we grow in 230Th due to decay of 238U and excess 234U (in atom
number):
( )
234 230
230 234
234
230 234
t t o
Ex Ex
Th U e e

And converting to activity, substituting formula for 234UEx, dividing by

238UA,
and simplifying, we obtain:
230 234 230
234 0 230
230
238 238
230 234
(1 ) 1 ( )
t t t
A A
U Th
e e e
U U

1
_ _
+
1

1 , ,
]
*Or, more realistically, we measure (230Th/238U) and
234U/238U,
and iteratively find an age that satisfies both the measurements
made today. We then are calculating also 234U/238U initial.

secular
equilibrium
secular
equilibrium
230Th-234U activity growth lines
For most samples:

How can the age of crytallization be
determined ?

Phenocrysts from the rocks are chosen to date

using these isotopes , as they are first fractionated
from the magma.




Conclusions

In principle ,short lived isotopes offer a

powerful way to investigate the ages of the
ages of the crystals .

The time taken for 50% fractional

crystallization in mafics in longer than that
of felsics.

References

Principles of isotope geology by GUNTER

FAURE.

http://www.wise-uranium.org/rup.html.

http://www.ieer.org/fctsheet/uranium.html.

http://www.ead.anl.gov/pub/doc/natural-decay-series.pdf
.

Dickins .

Priciples of igneous and metamorphic petrology by

JOHN .D WINTER


Acknowledgements

Dr. Ravikant .

Dr. Tarun Dalai.

Anwar Qadri Moinuddin.(07MS batch).

presented by
Anvesh . M .
Reddy(08MSo29).