Granulites and Crustal Evolution

Granulites are, by definition, rocks that crystallized at high temperatures. It is generally agreed that they were formed in regions where the geothermal gradient exceeded normal continental values. These rocks commonly display coronitic mineral fabrics which may be used to trace the thermal and geodynamic history of the continental crust. In the same way that eclogites provide information on the earliest stages of some orogenic episodes, granulites usually tell us about later events, including thermal anomalies, thermal reequilibration, CO streaming, crustal melting, and 2 differentiation of the continental crust. Their study is particularly important if we are to under- stand the nature of the middle and lower continental crust. Consistent with the contributions I received, the contents of this volume fall into four general areas: Crustal Evolution, Regional Syntheses, F1uids and Petrological Equilibria, Geochemistry and Geophysics. These represent an up-to-date reflection of the centres of interest in the field of granulites. The first manuscripts arrived in September 1988 while the conference was held, the last contribution arrived in November 1989, more than a year later. I apologize to those who were prompt and took deadlines seriously, but I believe that it was worth waiting to secure a product covering most of the important aspects concerning granulite genesis. All papers were vetted by at least two reviewers. I would like to thank RJ. Arculus, N.T. Arndt, P. Barbey, SR. Bohlen, AM. Boullier, M. Brown, T. Chacko, 1.D. Clemens, K.C. Condie, J.C. Duchesne, C. Dupuy, w.G.