The aqueous aragonite to calcite transformation: rate, mechanisms, and its role in the development of neomorphic fabrics

dc.contributor.authorMcManus, Kathleen M.en
dc.contributor.departmentGeologyen
dc.date.accessioned2019-01-31T18:27:24Zen
dc.date.available2019-01-31T18:27:24Zen
dc.date.issued1982en
dc.description.abstractThe rate of the aqueous transformation of aragonite to calcite was measured at 50°, 77°, and 101°C. The observed mole fraction calcite versus time relationship can be fit by the integrated rate model: t = [(3/C₂)(1-X)2/3 + (3/C₁)(X2/3)/[K₂-K₁] The constants C₁ and C₂ combine geometric factors, especially relative surface areas of the solids, K₁ and K₂ are the thermodynamic equilibrium constants for aragonite and calcite respectively. Apparent activation energies (E<sub>A</sub>’) and absolute rates were calculated from Arrhenius plots of data from this study and others: E<sub>A</sub>’ Conditions Material Time-50% CAL, 25°C Metzger and Barnard, 1968 58 kJ mol⁻¹ wet cm cubes 2.25X10² yr Taft, 1967 67 wet syn. powder 2.0X10⁻¹ This study 55 wet syn. powder 5.7X10⁻² Brown et al.,1962 373 dry 4.7X10³³ The E<sub>A</sub>’ for this study is comparable with that of Metzger and Barnard indicating a similar mechanism, but absolute rates differ dramatically because of the different geometries of the run material. The dry transformation rates are so slow at diagenetic temperatures that this mechanism is of no importance geologically. Because the rate of the transformation is dependent on the geometry of the reacting system it is not surprising that most studies of neomorphic calcites find that the calcite textures are related to the original aragonite textures. Three transformation regimes, macroscale (passive dissolution), mesoscale (chalk zone), and microscale (thin film) dissolution-precipitation, are proposed to explain the variability in observed diagenetic calcite textures. These are differentiated by the surface area/solution ratio in the reaction zone. In general the smaller the geometric factor in the rate equation. i.e. the smaller the surface area/solution ratio, the slower the transformation rate and the higher the degree of precursor fabric retention in the neomorphic calcite.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.extentvi, 64, [2] leavesen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/87231en
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 9424622en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1982.M335en
dc.subject.lcshAragoniteen
dc.subject.lcshCalciteen
dc.titleThe aqueous aragonite to calcite transformation: rate, mechanisms, and its role in the development of neomorphic fabricsen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineGeologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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