DESCRIPTIONS OF PILLOW BASALTS FROM ICELAND

Twenty-five thin sections were prepared from different rock samples collected from two different locations in Iceland. Two of the rock samples are pillow lavas from the Miðfell area, other samples are xenoliths also from the Miðfell area, and the last are also samples of pillow lavas, collected from the Undirhlíðar area. Nine thin section were made from one pillow basalt from Midfell. Six other thin section are from a different pillow basalt near the same location at Midfell. Five thin sections were made from pillow basalts from locations near the Undirhlíðar area. A set of thin sections include five made from different xenoliths collected from the Miðfell area. The microscope that was used for the identification of minerals and texture is the Leica DM750P with the following objectives: 4x/0.10 (low magnification), 10x/0.25 (medium magnification), and 63x/0.75 (high magnification) combined with the eyepiece at a magnification of 10x/20. The points that will be discussed in this thesis include: (1) the volcanism of Iceland and the geologic setting from which the samples were retrieved; (2) the methods and techniques of the petrographic microscope used to identify textures and minerals; and (3) a detailed description of the igneous textures, mineral composition and mineral percentage of the four types of samples listed above.A three-year embargo was granted for this item