Microstructural information is commonly underutilised in igneous and metamorphic petrology, yet often resolves decades-long debates in our disciplines. A rock’s texture (e.g., crystal numbers, sizes, shapes, zonation, orientation, and arrangement) preserves information about magmatic and/or metamorphic conditions acting on that rock during its geologic history. Conditions include cooling and heating rates, crystallisation regime, timing and duration, location and mechanisms of nucleation and crystal growth, fluid fluxes and speciation at depth and the extent and mechanisms of deformation. Studies of microstructural and textural features achieve even greater impact when multiple, spatially correlated datasets are integrated to extract petrological information. Microstructural and textural data sets are particularly informative when combined with in situ geochemical data (e.g., elemental maps) and field data (e.g., hyperspectral data).
In this session, we welcome contributions focusing on the application of microstructural analyses to solve problems in igneous and metamorphic petrology. We seek studies that showcase the development and integration of new microstructural and analytical techniques, such as studies combining traditional (e.g., universal stage) and modern (e.g., EBSD and/or numerical tools for quantitative petrology such as XMapTools) methods, studies focused on advances in 3D and 4D imaging, and numerical modeling involving microstructural and/or textural development. We also encourage contributions that combine microstructural analysis with results from other disciplines in order to better and more broadly solve petrological problems.