Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Mineral Chemistry And Origin Of The Olivine-Rich Zone Of The Palisades Sill, Kevin Xavier Chau

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Palisades Sill contains an olivine-rich zone that has attracted scientific attention for over one hundred years. Despite the amount of focus, a definitive explanation for the origin of this layer has not been reached. Through the use of detailed petrographic analyses and electron microscopy, the aim of this study was to collect data on mineral phases from the Palisades Sill in order to better understand the history. Extremely broad ranges in mineral compositions indicate that the olivine-rich zone evolved through in situ equilibrium crystallization, implying that it was injected once the main body of the sill had already been …