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discontinuous reaction series
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Bowen's reaction series
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discontinuous reaction series

geology
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Bowen's reaction series
Bowen's reaction series Figure 5: Bowen's reaction series showing the sequence of minerals that would be formed and removed during fractional crystallization of a melt. The magmas relating to the crystallizing minerals are shown on the left.

The discontinuous reaction series is a concept in geology that describes how minerals form as magma cools. As magma cools, high-temperature minerals crystallize first. In the discontinuous series, these early crystals react with the remaining liquid to form new minerals at lower temperatures. This process progresses through a sequence of minerals: olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, and biotite. Each mineral in this series has a different silicate structure that becomes more complex as the temperature drops. This series, along with a continuous reaction series involving plagioclase feldspar, helps explain the formation of different types of igneous rocks like basalt, andesite, and rhyolite.12

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  1. magma
  2. igneous rock - Bowen’s reaction series

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