By
N. L.
BOWEN.
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524
cases to be determined directly by gravity and in others by deformation. Bowen claims (1) that fractional crystallization is a potential
factor which may on occasion be expected to lead to important
differentiation, (2) that its anticipated products agree sufficiently
closely, both positively and negatively, with known igneous rocks,
and (3) that no other factor can be named for which (1) and (2)
hold true.
In regard to (2), Bowen points out that binary igneous rocks are
only found where their component minerals are not widely separated
in the crystallization sequence ; for instance, no known igneous rock
is composed wholly of very basic plagioclase and quartz. In regard
to (3) he quotes Greig's experiments on immiscible silicate melts,
and shows that the phenomenon is restricted to melts that differ,
in quantitative composition, from all analyzed igneous rocks.
After discussing crystallization of several melts with a view to
illustrating such matters as eutectics, incongruent melting and solid
solution, he defines his reaction principle with regard to both discontinuous and continuous reaction series. Reaction between early
crystals and residual magma may be checked either by bodily
removal of the crystals or by their cloaking through zonal deposition.
One may therefore agree that the reaction principle confers great
elasticity upon differentiation.
Another very important feature of Bowen's philosophy is his
distinction between igneous rocks which have crystallized from a
completely liquid condition and others which owe certain peculiarities
of composition to concentration of crystals. He thinks, for instance,
that dunites and anorthosites belong to the latter class. In this
connection he is loth to admit important remelting of early crystals.
Quite probably this will lead to much misplaced criticism, for there
may be a tendency to overlook the limits of remelting which Bowen
himself accepts as possible (pp. 141, 276). For instance, he is quite
prepared for the discovery of a non-porphyritic basaltic glass with
normative felspar as basic as AbjA^, although he certainly claims
that the great majority of basalts of this composition have never been
completely liquid.
The discussion of possible reactions between magma and inclusions
is very interesting. It is definitely recognized that some norites
may have resulted from interaction of basaltic magma with aluminous
sediment, and that some alkali rocks may have been assisted in their
formation by assimilation of limestone.
This brings us to Bowen's explanations of alkali rocks. In one of
them he suggests that leucite originates by virtue of the incongruent
melting point of orthoc'ase, which, under certain conditions, allows
of the precipitation of leucite from magmas that retain a little normative quartz. Leucite formation, he thinks, is often a step towards
nepheline production, by virtue of the reaction that leads to the
development of pseudo-leucite. Another of his suggestions in
regard to the formation of felspathoids depends upon fractional
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ReviewsDisrupted
Strata.
525
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