Metamorphic series


Metamorphic series include the Barrovian and Buchan series of metamorphic rocks. George Barrow was a geologist in Scotland who discovered the Barrovian series. These are also called metamorphic facies series. A metamorphic facies series is a sequence of metamorphic facies which plot in a temperature-pressure diagram along a line, and this line represents a certain geothermal gradient. They are not the same as metamorphic zones, as these are defined as a region on a geological map where the pressure-temperature conditions for an index mineral, were appropriate for these minerals to form.
File:Metamorphic Facies Series-Barrowian Buchan.png|alt=|thumb|The figure above shows different metamorphic series for different rocks. The names Buchan and Barrovian facies series are often used in another context, i.e. for the kyanite-andalusite-sillimanite polymorphs. However, Buchan facies series plot along line 3 and Barrovian at somewhat higher pressure and with the appearance of kyanite. The facies series have connections to plate tectonics. Facies series 1 is typical of contact metamorphism, but also found in regional metamorphosed rocks. Facies series 2 correlates with volcanic arc environments, and so on: 3. Collisional mountain belts, regional metamorphism 4. Stable continents and 5. Accretionary prisms. Original image: Woudloper.
  • Buchan metamorphism has the facies series greenschist-amphibolite-granulite
  • Barrovian metamorphism has the same facies series but has approximately 1 kbar more pressure so these rocks form kyanite