Microstructure modeling

Click on images to download movies

The figure above left shows a reconstruction of 5 foliation surfaces that pass through the plagioclase porphyroblast showing "millipede microstructure" at right. Serial sections were taken through the rock at around 1 mm spacing, and the program Mathematica was used to reconstruct the geometry. Click on the reconstruction to see a movie of the model. Click here, or here to see movies through the model in different directions. This reconstruction clearly illustrates the heterogeneous stretching that occurs around porphyroblasts during crenulation cleavage development. See Johnson and Moore (1996) for full story, or click here for additional details.