Crystal self-organization in microclines from granitic pegmatites

Abstract

Microclines from granitic pegmatites are complex crystals formed in evolutionary open systems during the subsolidus stage. Si/Al ordering governed by local charge distribution acts in synergy with long-range elastic interactions, producing transformation avalanches due to positive feedback relationship between the two forces. Global crystal self-organization results if atomic ordering is catalyzed by water species and simultaneously lattice is stimulated by shear stress. In this case, coalescence or juxtaposition of transformation avalanches evolve into regular pseudoperiodic twin-domain patterns.