What Does Undulatory Extinction Mean?
Undulose Extinction or Undulatory Extinction Is a Geological Term Referring to the Type of Extinction That Occurs in Certain Minerals When Examined in Thin...
Undulose extinction or undulatory extinction is a geological term referring to the type of extinction that occurs in certain minerals when examined in thin section under cross polarized light.
What is mineral extinction?
Extinction occurs when the vibration direction of the rays is parallel to the N-S and E-W polarization directions of the upper and lower polars. Extinction is said to be parallel if the long direction of the crystal or a prominent cleavage plane is oriented N-S or E-W when the mineral goes extinct.
What causes undulatory extinction in quartz?
It is considered that undulatory extinction of quartz occurs as a result of deformation of the rock after its formation and that the greater the cumulative deformation the larger the angle, hence it is a useful indicator of the orogenic history of the rock.
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