The quartz microstructures and microfabrics in tectonites representing greenschist to granulite facies conditions are examined to assess the factors influencing their development. The c-axis patterns range from random distributions to small, great, and crossed circle girdles, and to c-axes maxima. The small circle girdles, the most common fabrics at all metamorphic grades, are oriented at 30(DEGREES)-40(DEGREES) and 50(DEGREES)-70(DEGREES) about the axes of shortening and extension, respectively. / The c-axis orientations of the recrystallized grains bear no relationship to those of the host grains suggesting that host control, though important initially, is commonly overridden by strain controls. / The style and magnitude of strain, and the metamorphic grade are the significant controlling factors in the microfabric development. Intracrystalline slip mechanisms are favoured for the origin of the c-axis preferred orientations. Apparent discrepancies between experimental and natural fabrics can be reconciled when symmetries of strain are considered.

No description available.