Garnet-biotite geothermometry

Garnet-biotite geothermometry is a method used to evaluate the peak temperature at which metamorphic rocks have formed. Geothermometry makes up one component of geothermobarometry, which also includes the evaluation of pressure (geobarometry). There are many geothermometers, but garnet-biotite is particularly useful because of the frequent occurrence of biotite and garnet together in medium grade metamorphic rocks. The garnet biotite thermometer correlates temperature with the partitioning of Fe and Mg in coinciding garnet and biotite. The garnet-biotite thermometer has been "calibrated" many times since the 1970s by both experimental and empirical methods, however Ferry and Spear's 1978 experimental calibration study is reported thoroughly and commonly cited. Given a rock containing both garnet and biotite, an equilibrium constant (KD) can be found simply by using microprobe analysis. Then, by comparing the found KD value to the calculated garnet-biotite geothermometer, the peak temperature of rock formation can be determined.

This keyword could refer to multiple things. Here are some suggestions: