N . J b . M i ner. Abh .

1 72 2/3 381-408 Stuttgart, Mai 1998

An experimental test of some geothermometer and

geobarometer formulations for upper mantle
peridotites with application to the thermobarometry
of fertile lherzolite and garnet websterite
w. R. Taylor, Canberra

With 6 figures and 5 tables in the text

TA YLOR, W. R . : An experimental test of some geothermometer and geobarometer for­

mulations for upper mantle peridotites with application to the thermobarometry of
fertile lherzolite and garnet websterite. - N. Jb. Miner. Abh. 172: 38 1-408; Stuttgart
( 1 998).

Abstract: A series of high pressure (P), temperature (T) experiments (P = 1.0 to

3 . 5 GPa, T = 1050-1260 T) were undertaken on Na20-, TiOz- and pyroxene-rich peri­
dotite compositions under controlled f02 conditions. Compositions of olivine, pyrox­
ene and garnet have been used to evaluate the suitability of existing geothermometer
and geobarometer formulations in estimating the equilibration conditions of fertile pe­
ridotite. The quality of the mineral chemical data reported here represents an improve­
ment over that in many earlier experimental studies due to: the absence of Fe-loss
problems by use of graphite inner capsules ; better approach to equilibrium because of
increased run times and the presence of a fluid or melt phase ; and control of f02 at low
3
values so that silicate phases contain negligible Fe + contents. Of the geothermometers
tested, only those of WELLS ( 1 977) [two-pyroxene] and HARLEY ( 1 984) [garnet - ortho­
pyroxene] reproduce experimental temperatures with any accuracy. For the geobaro­
meters, a version of the WOOD ( 1 974) formulation [garnet- orthopyroxene] gave the
most satisfactory results. However, somewhat better P estimates were obtained using a
modified version of the NICKEL & GREEN ( 1 985) barometer [NG 85 mod] in which a Ti
correction was applied to the activity term for the Mg- tschermaks component: XMgTs
= (AI -Cr + Ti + Na)/2.

To extend the P,T, and compositional range of appl icability for two-pyroxene ther-
mometers, a new formulation [TA97] has been devised:
T(K) = [24,787 + 678 · P(GPa)]/ [ 1 5 .67 + 14.37 · W px + 3 .69 · Fecpx - 3 .25 · XI S + OnKd) ]
2
where: InKd = In { a(En) CP } - In { a(En) P } ; XIS = (AI + Cr- Na) CP ;
X O X X
and a(En) = ( I- Ca- Na) · ( I -Alv i - Cr-Ti) · ( I_Al i v/2)
2

DOI:10.1127/njma/172/1998/381 0077-7757/98/0172-0381 $ 7.00

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