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Virginia Tech

The Role of Fluids in Geological Processes

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The role and behavior of fluids in hydrothermal and magmatic environments have been studied. Experimental studies have been carried out to determine fluid properties, in natural environments and in both synthetic and natural fluid and melt inclusions. One of these studies dealt with the effect of composition on the critical P-T-X properties of aqueous salt solutions approximated by the H₂O-NaCl-KCl-CaCl₂ system. The results indicate a systematic variation in critical properties as a function of composition over the range of P-T-X studied. A technique for analyzing individual H₂O-CO₂ inclusions using Raman spectroscopy has also been developed. The resulting empirical equation relating Raman intensities and composition is valid for compositions ≤50mol% CO₂. The technique has been applied to H₂O-CO₂ inclusions from the Butte, MT Porphyry Cu-Mo deposit and the results agree with compositions estimated from microthermometric and petrographic observations. The aim of another study was to study water loss from melt inclusions during laboratory heating. Melt inclusions had lost insignificant amounts of water when held at experimental conditions (800°C, 1 kbar) for ≤24 hours. However, significant water loss was observed for longer duration experiments. Ocelli, which are globular bodies of felsic minerals are interpreted as products of magmatic melt immiscibility. As such, the carbonate aggregates in Cretaceous lamprophyres from Hungary with similar petrographic characteristics have also generally been interpreted to be products of magmatic immiscibility. Petrographic and geochemic studies have shown three three distinct genetic groups for these aggregates, none of which were consistent with a magmatic origin.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Geosciences
Department dc:contributor.department
Geosciences
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2006

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Azbej, Tristan
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Bodnar, Robert J.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Szabo, Csaba
  • Tracy, Robert J.
  • Kiran, Erdogan R.
  • Beard, James S.
  • Rimstidt, J. Donald

Subjects

dc:subject × 9

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-09242006-134907
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/29074

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Azbej, Tristan. The Role of Fluids in Geological Processes. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/29074