Each image set consists of a plane-polarized light (PPL) photomicrograph (taken using the default E-W lower polarizer alignment), a potential second PPL photomicrograph taken with the lower polarizer rotated to a N-S alignment if notable variations in mineral pleochroism or relief warrant this additional view, and finally a photomicrograph taken under crossed polarizers (XP).
Preceding each set of images is table of diagnostic optical features specific to the accompanying images, to aid viewers differentiate the key minerals in the images. Note that in some cases, not every mineral present will be noted in the table or on the photomicrograph (particularly for material that is very fine-grained, very finely intergrown with other minerals, or grains that may simply be too small or too sparse). For the same reasons, not every mineral listed in the thin section scans composition tables will be included here either.
Due to the potential wealth of images (and to keep page loading times reasonable), each photomicrograph page will only feature 20 samples. This page and additional photomicrograph pages will be a new website feature I’m working on, and so these pages will be very much under construction. Check back periodically as I add more images and tables.
diagnostic mineral properties observable in FKM-21 ROI 1
[table “OM-FKM-21-1” not found /]
FKM-21 ROI 1; left image: PPL with E-W lower polar (50X); right image: PPL with N-S lower polar (50X)
FKM-21 ROI 1; left image: PPL with E-W lower polar (50X); right image: XP (50X)
diagnostic mineral properties observable in FKM-22 ROI 1
[table “OM-FKM-22-1” not found /]
top image: PPL with E-W lower polar (50X)
middle image: PPL with N-S lower polar (50X)
bottom image: XP (50X)
diagnostic mineral properties observable in FKM-2 ROI 2
mineral | look for this in the PPL images | look for this in the XP image |
---|---|---|
titanite | E-W: high relief; v. pale buff to medium brown pleochroism N-S: high relief; v. pale buff to medium brown pleochroism |
high order dark cream birefringence |
piemontite | E-W: high relief; orange, red & magenta pleochroism N-S: high relief; orange, red & purplish-red pleochroism |
birefringence masked by strong coloration |
quartz | E-W: low relief; colorless N-S: low relief; colorless |
1st order white birefringence |
top image: PPL with E-W lower polar (50X)
middle image: PPL with N-S lower polar (50X)
bottom image: XP (50X)