Analysis of 2-dimensional FTIR mapping of a metamorphic rock

Rock is composed of various silicate minerals with a broad range of shapes and sizes. Rocks are classified by the volume ratio of the minerals they contain. The deformation of rock is a fundamental element of large-scale movement of earth including continental drift and plate tectonics. The manner in which specific rocks are deformed (brittle or ductile deformation) depends on the various minerals contained in the rock, as well as the volume ratio, mechanical properties, spatial distribution, and grain size of these minerals. For example, pelitic schist, a type of regional metamorphic rock, is primarily composed of four minerals : quartz, muscovite, chlorite and albite. Muscovite and chlorite deform easily under low stress, but albite does not. Thus, in order to understand the mechanical properties of pelitic schist, Jasco investigated its two-dimensional mineral distribution.