Autolith
Definition
Fragments of early igneous rock incorporated into a younger igneous rock mass, both originating from the same parent magma or deep magmatic chamber. Also known as cognate inclusions or autoliths, these petrographic structures represent portions crystallized at the beginning of the cooling process, which were later detached and engulfed by the remaining fluid magmatic flow, providing crucial data on the chemical evolution of the magmatic reservoir.
Bilingual Equivalents
- Autolith
- Cognate inclusion
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Neuter noun, regular plural forms ending in '-ite'. |
| Formation | Neologistic structure combining the Greek elements 'auto-' (self) and '-lith' (stone/rock). |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [a.u.to.ˈlit] |
| Source | Lexicon of Advanced Igneous Petrology, Volcanology, and Mineral Matrices |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: În secțiunea transversală a granitului, geologul a identificat un autolit cu o granulație mult mai fină decât roca gazdă.
EN: In the cross-section of the granite, the geologist identified an autolith with a much finer grain than the host rock.
RO: Prezența unui autolit dovedește că magma a trecut prin mai multe etape succesive de cristalizare în camera vulcanică.
EN: The presence of an autolith proves that the magma went through several successive stages of crystallization in the volcanic chamber.
RO: Analiza chimică a confirmat că acest autolit de bazalt este izotopic identic cu restul masivului muntos.
EN: Chemical analysis confirmed that this basalt autolith is isotopically identical to the rest of the mountain massif.
Idioms & Phrases
Autolit magmatic / Magmatic autolith / cognate enclave
RO: Fragment stâncos solidificat timpuriu în interiorul aceluiași sistem magmatic și reînglobat în topitură.
EN: A rock fragment solidified early inside the same magmatic system and re-engulfed into the melt.
Structură cu autolite / Autolith-bearing structure / cognate porphyry texture
RO: Configurație texturală a unei roci vulcanice caracterizată prin prezența vizibilă a multor enclave magmatice înrudite.
EN: A textural configuration of a volcanic rock characterized by the visible presence of many related magmatic enclaves.
Autolit microgranular / A related magmatic inclusion distinguished by a very fine crystalline texture, due to initial rapid cooling.
RO: Incluziune magmatică înrudită care se distinge printr-o textură cristalină foarte fină, datorată răcirii rapide inițiale.
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