Detailed Morphology and Texture of Microlites in Obsidian observed through Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Microlite is crystallized under the supercooled condition of volcanic magma. This study reports the morphology and texture of microlites included in the obsidians from the Baekdusan (Mt. Baekdu), Kyushu (Japan), Hokkaido (Japan) and Lipari Island (Italy) by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Morphology and texture observed from the back scattered electron (BSE) image could give more detailed information on the microlite crystallization which cannot be acquired from the conventional optical microscope. Ten types of microlites are newly described according to the 14 morphological types of microlites by Clark (1961): Lath, Crenulite, Bacillite, Margarite, Belonites, Trichites, Arculites, Furculite, Scopulites, Scopulitic growth. Detailed description of the ten microlites can be used to interpret the crystallization and paragenetic relations of crystals during the cooling of acidic volcanic magma.