Natural and synthetic common-rock forming minerals were examined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and electron microprobe (EMP) analyses. The influences of common defect features, such as inclusions in spinel and oxygen positional disorder and twinning in kalsilite, were reported on the respective structures. The case studies show that these defect features could lead to a misinterpretation of X-ray intensity data. The structural interpretations obtained from these XSRD analyses could be significantly different when physical properties of the crystals are considered.In the second part of my dissertation, comparative crystal chemical studies on mantle-derived minerals such as spinel, clinopyroxene, and olivine are reported. These studies were carried out to examine temperature, pressure, and compositional effects on the structures of these phases. In particular, packing arrangements of oxygen atoms were examined in detail to investigate how the packing affects element partitioning among upper-mantle minerals. At ambient conditions, oxygen packing is more distorted in the order of spinel < olivine < clinopyroxene. The packing of oxygen atoms in olivine might have a significant control on element substitutions at high pressure. Because elements whose radius is larger than that of Mg distort the packing of mantle olivine (Fo~89), olivine might limit the amount of those elements, such as Fe2+, entering the structure. In contrast, substitutions of smaller cations in C2/c clinopyroxenes increase packing distortion. For clinopyroxenes enclosed in peridotite and eclogite, higher equilibration pressures are associated with more distorted, less efficiently packed structures. Unlike many minerals reported in Thompson and Downs (2001), spinel becomes more packed with rising temperature when intracrystalline cation exchange reactions are possible. Despite wide chemical variations, spinel samples from one geological environment display a constant packing distortion, which might suggest that spinel is capable of achieving an optimal packing configuration at a given P and T.

Improving our understanding of magma plumbing and storage remains one of the majorchallenges for petrologists and volcanologists today. This is especially true for explosivevolcanoes, where constraints on magma plumbing are essential for predicting dynamicchanges in future activity and thus for hazard mitigation. This study aims to investigate themagma plumbing system at Anak Krakatau; the post-collapse cone situated on the rim of the1883 Krakatau caldera. Since 1927, Anak Krakatau has been highly active, growing at a rateof ~8 cm/week. The methods employed are a.) clinopyroxene-melt thermo-barometry (Putirkaet al., 2003; Putirka, 2008), b.) plagioclase-melt thermo-barometry (Putirka, 2005), c.)clinopyroxene composition barometry (Nimis &amp; and Ulmer, 1998; Nimis, 1999; Putirka,2008) and d.) olivine-melt thermometry (Putirka et al., 2007). Previously, both seismic(Harjono et al., 1989) and petrological studies (Camus et al., 1987; Mandeville et al., 1996a;Gardner et al., in review, J. Petrol.) have addressed the magma plumbing beneath AnakKrakatau. Interestingly, petrological studies indicate shallow magma storage in the region of2-8 km, while the seismic evidence points towards a mid-crustal and a deep storage, at 9 and22 km respectively.This study shows that clinopyroxene presently crystallizes in a mid-crustal storage region(8-12 km), a previously identified depth level for magma storage, using seismic methods(Harjono et al., 1989). Plagioclases, in turn, form at shallower depths (4-6 km), in concertwith previous petrological studies (Camus et al., 1987; Mandeville et al., 1996a; Gardner etal., in review, J. Petrol.). Pre-1981 clinopyroxenes record deeper levels of storage (8-22 km),indicating that there may have been an overall shallowing of the plumbing system over thelast ~40 years. The magma storage regions detected coincide with major lithologicalboundaries in the crust, implying that magma ascent and storage at Anak Krakatau is probablycontrolled by crustal discontinuities and/or density contrasts. Therefore, this study shows thatpetrology has the sensitivity to detect magma bodies in the crust where seismic surveys faildue to limited resolution. Combined geophysical and petrological surveys offer an increasedpotential for the thorough characterization of magma plumbing at active volcanic complexes.

Carbonatites are igneous rocks comprising more than 50 modal percent of carbonate minerals and characterized by highly variable modal compositions. The majority of carbonatites are confined to intra-continental rifts, whereas occurrences associated with plate margins and orogenic settings are less common. Petrogenesis of carbonatites has been a matter of intense debate for several decades. The possible genetic models include crystallisation from a primary carbonatite magma, liquid immiscibility and crystal fractionation from carbonate-rich silicate magma. In contrast to the voluminous bulk-rock trace-element data and major-element analyses of minerals from carbonatites available in the literature, there has been no systematic study concerned with the trace-element signatures of the most common constituents of these rocks. This work is the first comprehensive study of the interrelations between the trace-element chemistry of the most common constituents of carbonatites, the geochemistry of these rocks, and their tectonic setting. The rock samples examined represent 21 different localities worldwide. The extent of major- and trace-element substitutions in amphibole, clinopyroxene, trioctahedral micas, dolomite, magnetite and perovskite is investigated in detail. The silicate minerals from carbonatites exhibit much larger compositional diversity than previously recognized. They can incorporate significant amounts of such petrogenetically important elements as Sr, REE, Zr, Nb and Ta. The majority of studied clino-amphibole- and clinopyroxene-group minerals exhibit previously unrecognized a bimodal distribution patterns of REE, which can be explained in terms of crystal chemistry of these phases. The trace-element signature of phlogopite from carbonatites, particularly Nb, Mn, Ni and Cr, is distinctly different from that of phlogopite from kimberlites, and can be used as a reliable petrogenetic indicator. Compositional variations in dolomite reflect magmatic and subsolidus processes in carbonatites. Magnetite from carbonatites follows a well-defined magmatic and previously unrecognized reaction trend. Contrary to prior studies, this mineral is only a minor host of HFSE in carbonatitic rocks. The U-Pb age data, trace-element and Sr-isotopic composition of perovskite from the Afrikanda carbonatite and clinopyroxenite suggest that the two rocks are not related by crystal fractionation. This study underlines the importance of a systematic approach in petrogenetic studies based on trace-element distribution.

Carbonatites are igneous rocks comprising more than 50 modal percent of carbonate minerals and characterized by highly variable modal compositions. The majority of carbonatites are confined to intra-continental rifts, whereas occurrences associated with plate margins and orogenic settings are less common. Petrogenesis of carbonatites has been a matter of intense debate for several decades. The possible genetic models include crystallisation from a primary carbonatite magma, liquid immiscibility and crystal fractionation from carbonate-rich silicate magma. In contrast to the voluminous bulk-rock trace-element data and major-element analyses of minerals from carbonatites available in the literature, there has been no systematic study concerned with the trace-element signatures of the most common constituents of these rocks. This work is the first comprehensive study of the interrelations between the trace-element chemistry of the most common constituents of carbonatites, the geochemistry of these rocks, and their tectonic setting. The rock samples examined represent 21 different localities worldwide. The extent of major- and trace-element substitutions in amphibole, clinopyroxene, trioctahedral micas, dolomite, magnetite and perovskite is investigated in detail. The silicate minerals from carbonatites exhibit much larger compositional diversity than previously recognized. They can incorporate significant amounts of such petrogenetically important elements as Sr, REE, Zr, Nb and Ta. The majority of studied clino-amphibole- and clinopyroxene-group minerals exhibit previously unrecognized a bimodal distribution patterns of REE, which can be explained in terms of crystal chemistry of these phases. The trace-element signature of phlogopite from carbonatites, particularly Nb, Mn, Ni and Cr, is distinctly different from that of phlogopite from kimberlites, and can be used as a reliable petrogenetic indicator. Compositional variations in dolomite reflect magmatic and subsolidus processes in carbonatites. Magnetite from carbonatites follows a well-defined magmatic and previously unrecognized reaction trend. Contrary to prior studies, this mineral is only a minor host of HFSE in carbonatitic rocks. The U-Pb age data, trace-element and Sr-isotopic composition of perovskite from the Afrikanda carbonatite and clinopyroxenite suggest that the two rocks are not related by crystal fractionation. This study underlines the importance of a systematic approach in petrogenetic studies based on trace-element distribution.

O grande magmatismo intracontinental ocorrido a 133 Ma na Bacia do Paraná foi desenvolvido por um sistema fissural no qual a interação da Pluma Tristão da Cunha na base da litosfera (com ou sem contaminação crustal) gerou derrames, diques e sills no Brasil, nos Estados do RS, SC, PR, SP, MT, MS e GO, e em parte do Paraguai, Argentina e Uruguai. Na Formação Serra Geral, representativa deste intenso magmatismo, foram coletadas amostras de sills (RS, PR, SP e GO) cristalizados entre os sedimentos Paleozóicos pré-vulcânicos da Bacia do Paraná. Já haviam sido realizados diversos estudos geoquímicos a partir da década de 80 com objetivo de identificar as variações químicas de diques, derrames e sills da Formação Serra Geral. No entanto, a utilização de novas técnicas analíticas (EPMA e LA-ICP-MS), utilizadas no presente estudo, proporcionaram o entendimento das variações químicas de forma pontual em minerais ígneos. A geoquímica dos sills estudados caracteriza-os como sub-alcalinos toleíticos continentais que variam de basaltos a andesitos basáltico. Assim, podendo ser divididos em dois grupos químicos: sills do Rio Grande do Sul (baixo TiO2 < 2 wt.%, com concentrações inferiores de P2O5, Nb, Sr, Zr, Zn, Y e Pb e concentrações superiores de Rb, Th, U, e Cs) e sills do Paraná, São Paulo e Goiás (alto TiO2 >2 wt.%, de geoquímica oposta). Petrograficamente, os sills do RS possuem granulação mais fina, ocorrência restrita de cobre nativo e distribuição modal elevada para plagioclásios cálcicos, quando comparados ao sills do PR, SP e GO. A determinação geoquímica por micro-análise em plagioclásios e clinopiroxênios demonstra que as variações químicas identificadas em rocha total são relatas as modificações químicas ocorridas nestes minerais. Variações do coeficiente de partição (KD) de elementos traços compatíveis em diversas zonas de cristais de plagioclásio e clinopiroxênio possuem correlação na substituição dos elementos Ca, Na, Al, Fe e Mg nos sistemas NaAlSi3O8-CaAl2Si2O8 e Mg2Si2O6-CaMgSi2O6-CaFeSi2O6- Fe2Si2O6, respectivamente. Coeficientes de partição de cristais de plagioclásio e clinopiroxênio agora são determinados em diferentes porções de núcleo, intermédio e borda aprimorando o conhecimento da variação do KD até então determinado como um único valor apenas para o cristal. / The large intracontinental magmatism occurred at 133 Ma in the Paraná Basin was developed by a fissure system in which the interaction of Tristan da Cunha plume at the base of the lithosphere (with or without crustal contamination) caused lava flows, dikes and sills in the RS, SC, PR, SP, MT, MS and GO and part of Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay. In the Serra Geral Formation, representative of intense magmatism, sills crystallized samples were collected (RS, PR, SP and GO) between the Paleozoic prevolcanic sediments of Paraná basin. Several geochemical studies have been carried out since the 80's in order to identify the chemical variations of dikes, sills and lava flows of the Serra Geral Formation. However, the use of new analytical techniques (EPMA and LA-ICP-MS) provided the study of chemical variations in a timely manner in igneous minerals. The geochemistry of the sills studied characterized them as sub-alkaline continental tholeiitic basalts ranging from the basalt to basaltic andesites. Divided into two chemical groups: sills of Rio Grande do Sul (low TiO2 <2 wt.%, With lower concentrations of P2O5, Nb, Sr, Zr, Zn, Y and Pb and higher concentrations of Rb, Th, U, and Cs) and sills of Parana, Sao Paulo and Goiás (high TiO2> 2 wt.%, geochemical opposite). Petrographically the sills of the RS have finer grain, restricted occurrence of native copper and modal higher to calcic plagioclase, compared to the sills of the PR, SP and GO. Geochemical determination by micro-analysis in plagioclases and clinopyroxenes show that the chemical variations identified in whole rock we describe the chemical changes occurring in these minerals. Variations of the partition coefficient (KD) of compatible trace elements in various parts of crystals of plagioclase and clinopyroxene were correlated in the replacement of Ca, Na, Al, Fe and Mg systems NaAlSi3O8-CaAl2Si2O8 and Mg2Si2O6-CaMgSi2O6-CaFeSi2O6-Fe2Si2O6, respectively. Partition coefficients of crystals of plagioclase and clinopyroxene are now determined in different portions of core, intermediate and rim enhance knowledge of the variation of KD previously determined as a single value only to the crystal.

O grande magmatismo intracontinental ocorrido a 133 Ma na Bacia do Paraná foi desenvolvido por um sistema fissural no qual a interação da Pluma Tristão da Cunha na base da litosfera (com ou sem contaminação crustal) gerou derrames, diques e sills no Brasil, nos Estados do RS, SC, PR, SP, MT, MS e GO, e em parte do Paraguai, Argentina e Uruguai. Na Formação Serra Geral, representativa deste intenso magmatismo, foram coletadas amostras de sills (RS, PR, SP e GO) cristalizados entre os sedimentos Paleozóicos pré-vulcânicos da Bacia do Paraná. Já haviam sido realizados diversos estudos geoquímicos a partir da década de 80 com objetivo de identificar as variações químicas de diques, derrames e sills da Formação Serra Geral. No entanto, a utilização de novas técnicas analíticas (EPMA e LA-ICP-MS), utilizadas no presente estudo, proporcionaram o entendimento das variações químicas de forma pontual em minerais ígneos. A geoquímica dos sills estudados caracteriza-os como sub-alcalinos toleíticos continentais que variam de basaltos a andesitos basáltico. Assim, podendo ser divididos em dois grupos químicos: sills do Rio Grande do Sul (baixo TiO2 < 2 wt.%, com concentrações inferiores de P2O5, Nb, Sr, Zr, Zn, Y e Pb e concentrações superiores de Rb, Th, U, e Cs) e sills do Paraná, São Paulo e Goiás (alto TiO2 >2 wt.%, de geoquímica oposta). Petrograficamente, os sills do RS possuem granulação mais fina, ocorrência restrita de cobre nativo e distribuição modal elevada para plagioclásios cálcicos, quando comparados ao sills do PR, SP e GO. A determinação geoquímica por micro-análise em plagioclásios e clinopiroxênios demonstra que as variações químicas identificadas em rocha total são relatas as modificações químicas ocorridas nestes minerais. Variações do coeficiente de partição (KD) de elementos traços compatíveis em diversas zonas de cristais de plagioclásio e clinopiroxênio possuem correlação na substituição dos elementos Ca, Na, Al, Fe e Mg nos sistemas NaAlSi3O8-CaAl2Si2O8 e Mg2Si2O6-CaMgSi2O6-CaFeSi2O6- Fe2Si2O6, respectivamente. Coeficientes de partição de cristais de plagioclásio e clinopiroxênio agora são determinados em diferentes porções de núcleo, intermédio e borda aprimorando o conhecimento da variação do KD até então determinado como um único valor apenas para o cristal. / The large intracontinental magmatism occurred at 133 Ma in the Paraná Basin was developed by a fissure system in which the interaction of Tristan da Cunha plume at the base of the lithosphere (with or without crustal contamination) caused lava flows, dikes and sills in the RS, SC, PR, SP, MT, MS and GO and part of Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay. In the Serra Geral Formation, representative of intense magmatism, sills crystallized samples were collected (RS, PR, SP and GO) between the Paleozoic prevolcanic sediments of Paraná basin. Several geochemical studies have been carried out since the 80's in order to identify the chemical variations of dikes, sills and lava flows of the Serra Geral Formation. However, the use of new analytical techniques (EPMA and LA-ICP-MS) provided the study of chemical variations in a timely manner in igneous minerals. The geochemistry of the sills studied characterized them as sub-alkaline continental tholeiitic basalts ranging from the basalt to basaltic andesites. Divided into two chemical groups: sills of Rio Grande do Sul (low TiO2 <2 wt.%, With lower concentrations of P2O5, Nb, Sr, Zr, Zn, Y and Pb and higher concentrations of Rb, Th, U, and Cs) and sills of Parana, Sao Paulo and Goiás (high TiO2> 2 wt.%, geochemical opposite). Petrographically the sills of the RS have finer grain, restricted occurrence of native copper and modal higher to calcic plagioclase, compared to the sills of the PR, SP and GO. Geochemical determination by micro-analysis in plagioclases and clinopyroxenes show that the chemical variations identified in whole rock we describe the chemical changes occurring in these minerals. Variations of the partition coefficient (KD) of compatible trace elements in various parts of crystals of plagioclase and clinopyroxene were correlated in the replacement of Ca, Na, Al, Fe and Mg systems NaAlSi3O8-CaAl2Si2O8 and Mg2Si2O6-CaMgSi2O6-CaFeSi2O6-Fe2Si2O6, respectively. Partition coefficients of crystals of plagioclase and clinopyroxene are now determined in different portions of core, intermediate and rim enhance knowledge of the variation of KD previously determined as a single value only to the crystal.

Magma plumbing systems represent the physical framework of magma transport and storage from the source region in the mantle, through the crust, until reaching the surface in a volcanic eruption. Characterising the different aspects of magma plumbing, in particular the distribution of magma storage zones throughout the crust, is of key importance to better understand the behaviour of individual volcanoes. In particular, shallow crustal magma storage and associated magma-crust interaction processes could potentially explain some of the worlds most unpredictable and explosive volcanoes. This thesis studies magma plumbing architecture in the Sunda Arc (Indonesia), and the North Atlantic Igneous Province, based on elemental and isotope geochemistry, and derived petrological modelling. In this study, I have employed petrological models, so called geothermobarometers, to calculate pressures and temperatures (P-T) of crustal magma storage. Geothermobarometers are calibrated thermodynamic formulations based on the composition of magmatic minerals and their co-existing melt as a function of the P-T conditions of crystallisation. Using the calculated P-T estimates, I was able to derive the depth of magma storage, and thereby reconstruct the architecture of magma storage systems. A number of different geothermobarometers based on different mineral phases, including plagioclase, clinopyroxene and olivine, were used for this purpose, The geothermobarometric modelling was combined with additional elemental and isotope geochemical analyses, as well as collaborations with geophysical investigations. These additional approaches were used to corroborate the findings of the geothermobarometric modelling, and also to model and quantify magma-crust interaction processes that take place during crustal magma storage, such as assimilation of crustal lithologies into the magmatic system. The findings of this thesis build upon the growing body of evidence in support of the prevalence of shallow magma storage in different volcanic settings worldwide. This realisation is relevant to volcano monitoring and hazard mitigation worldwide.

One of the most important volatiles in magma is water. In magma, water is incorporated in both the melt and in crystals, including hydrous and nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs). The purpose of this study is to determine the role of magmatic water content in controlling volcano explosivity especially at Merapi volcano, Indonesia, which is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Here I apply clinopyroxene from two types of eruption products, lava and ash, to test the magmatic water content in the Merapi 2010 eruption. Both oriented and unoriented crystals were analysed using Fourier-Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to establish the clinopyroxene’s crystal water content. By combining the water content of clinopyroxene and geochemical data obtained from EPMA analysis, the magmatic water content is then estimated by inserting the data into the equation of O’Leary et al. (2010) [lnD= -4.2(60.2)16.5(60.5) VI[Al3+]-1.0(60.2) [Ca2+]]. I also investigated clinopyroxene crystals that were experimentally rehydrated, including four oriented crystals from a Merapi 2010 eruption ash sample annealed at a temperature of 700°C and pressure of 1 atm. Magmatic water contents of Merapi 2010 from rehydration experiments were then compared to the Merapi 2006 magmatic water content which were treated under the same conditions. The results revealed a wide variation between samples and among crystals taken from the same sample. However, oriented samples yielded a smaller variation between minimum and maximum clinopyroxene crystal water content and, overall, ash samples yielded higher water content in clinopyroxene than lava samples. The rehydration experiment significantly amplified clinopyroxene crystal water content by 3 to 7-fold compared to the result without the rehydration procedure. Comparison of data between the 2006 and 2010 Merapi eruptions demonstrates that there was a significant difference in magmatic water contents with the 2010 eruption displaying more than twice as much magmatic water than the 2006 eruption. The result implies that magmatic water plays potentially a crucial role in controlling explosivity of Merapi eruptions. / Indonesien är det land i Världen som har den största befolkningen som lever inom 100 km av en aktiv vulkan. Merapi är en av de mest farliga vulkanerna i Indonesien, som också är en av de mest aktiva vulkanerna i Världen och ligger på ön Java runt 15-25 km från Yogyakarta med en total befolkningstäthet på 1000 personer per kvadratkilometer. Utbrott från Merapi har dödat cirka 5000 personer under de senaste 500 åren. Således är det viktigt att studera hur vulkanen beter sig och orsaken till utbrotten för att kunna vita förebyggande åtgärder för att minska antalet dödsfall eller till och med undvika dödsfall helt. Vulkanutbrott kontrolleras av många faktorer, en av faktorerna är flyktiga ämnen i magman och en av de viktigaste flyktiga ämnen är vatten. Det här projektet syftar till att ta reda på vattnets roll på explosiviteten hos utbrotten genom att undersöka eruptiva produkter från utbrotten av Merapi under 2006 och 2010 med hjälp av Fourier-Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spektroskopi. Experimentet använder normalt vattenfria mineraler (NAMs) så som klinopyroxen men vatten kan införlivas i NAMs genom att binda väte i kristallgitteret under kristalltillväxten. Tidigare studier har visat att vattenhalten i klinopyroxenkristall skulle kunna användas för att beräkna magmatisk vattenhalt och därmed jämföra den magmatiska vattenhalt mellan olika utbrott med olika explosivitet i samma vulkan, vilket kan indikera hur vattenhalten påverkar vulkanutbrotten. Magmatiskt vatteninnehåll beräknat utifrån klinopyroxenvattenhalten visade en variation mellan de undersöka proverna från samma utbrott, varför ytterligare undersökning genom rehydreringsexperiment gjordes genom annealing av proverna vid en temperatur av 700 °C och tryck vid 1 atm. Även om det var variation i magmatisk vattenhalt mellan proverna, så har utbrotten av Merapi under 2010 högre magmatiskt vatteninnehåll än utbrottet under 2006 med 3-7 gånger. Sammantaget har Merapi 2010 utbrottet högre explosivitet och högre magmatisk vattenhalt än 2006 utbrottet, vilket innebär att högre vattenhalt ger högre explosivitet. På detta sätt kontrollerade vattnet vulkanens explosivitet för Merapivulkanen.Nyckelord: Merapi vulkan, NA

The aim of this thesis is to increase our knowledge and understanding of trace water concentrations in nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs). Special focus is put on the de- and rehydration mechanisms of clinopyroxene crystals in volcanic systems, how these minerals can be used to investigate the volatile content of mantle rocks and melts on both Earth and other planetary bodies (e.g., Mars). Various analytical techniques for water concentration analysis were evaluated. The first part of the thesis focusses on rehydration experiments in hydrogen gas at 1 atm and under hydrothermal pressures from 0.5 to 3 kbar on volcanic clinopyroxene crystals in order to test hydrogen incorporation and loss from crystals and how their initial water content at crystallization prior to dehydration may be restored. The results show that extensive dehydration may occur during magma ascent and degassing but may be hindered by fast ascent rates with limited volatile loss. De- and rehydration processes are governed by the redox-reaction OH- + Fe2+ ↔ O2- + Fe3+ + ½ H2. Performing rehydration experiments at different pressures can restore the water contents of clinopyroxene at various levels in the volcanic systems. Subsequently water contents of magmas and mantle sources can be deduced based on crystal/melt partition coefficients. This thesis provides examples from the Canary Islands, Merapi volcano in Indonesia and the famous Nakhla meteorite. Using NAMs as a proxy for magmatic and mantle water contents may provide a very good method especially for planetary science where sample material is limited. The thesis’ second part focusses on analytical methods to measure the concentration of water in NAMs. Specifically the application of Raman spectroscopy and proton-proton scattering are tested. The hydrated mineral zoisite is thoroughly analyzed in order to be used as an external standard material. Polarized single crystal spectra helped to determine the orientation of the OH-dipole in zoisite. Further, Transmission Raman spectroscopy and a new method for the preparation of very thin samples for proton-proton scattering were developed and tested. The results provide new possibilities for the concentration analysis of water in NAMs such as three dimensional distribution and high spatial resolution.

The thermodynamic history of the Earth is preserved in the trace element record created through igneous processes. The ability to interpret that record depends on the accuracy and precision of numerical models that connect igneous processes with their geochemical consequences. This project answers three major questions concerning the relationship between trace element partitioning and the processes that influence it. One: using a common igneous mineral, clinopyroxene, as a base, how complete is the dataset on which our understanding of this relationship relies? Two: what are the dangers involved with basing models on experiments that contain higher than natural concentrations of trace elements? Three: how accurate and precise is the current numerical model that describes this relationship, and can it be improved? This project determined that the data contain gaps at high pressures and temperatures, are limited for felsic rock compositions, and are lacking for hydrous conditions. A set of experiments conducted on plagioclase feldspar crystallization from a base MORB composition containing various levels of dopants at below wt% levels reveals the presence of non-Henry's Law partitioning behavior through the disruption of the phase equilibria of the system. Lastly, the current clinopyroxene/melt rare earth element partitioning model (Wood and Blundy, 2003) is shown to reasonably, though less than ideally, describe the relationship between igneous processes and their trace-element partitioning results using the thermodynamics of the system. The accuracy was improved through adding a regression, which is based on the major element concentrations of the clinopyroxene and melt to the original numerical expressions. / Graduation date: 2012