Is the stone mountain that Calabash Brothers transformed into sedimentary rock, igneous rock or metamorphic rock?

Interesting brain teaser!

My imagination is limited, and this is just a starting point. Welcome to discuss.

The gourd brothers turned into the Seven-Colored Mountain. The colors, skills, and personalities of the seven brothers are obviously different, so they cannot be generalized.

Image source: Episode 1 of "Little Calabash Brothers"

Let’s analyze them one by one below.

Part 1

Big Baby - Red - Hercules - Granite

Image source: Episode 1 of "Little Calabash Brothers"

Just now, when I typed the word "Hercules" on the keyboard,

The input method seems to want to force an answer on me——

Screenshot of a dog input method

Hercules - Marble...,

You will be fined for playing with homophonic puns

Answers like "marble" or "gravel" are simply passed.

My answer is granite , the most common igneous rock on the earth’s surface and almost the most famous rock.

Granite | Image source: Rocks Minerals (DK Smithsonian Handbook) (Chris Pellant, 2021)

Granite is the giant among the rock family.

The saying "strength enough to move mountains and courage enough to conquer the world" is commonplace for granite.

Granite has a large elastic modulus, strong rigidity, a large internal damping coefficient (15 times that of steel)[1], stable chemical properties, and is rich in quartz, making it less susceptible to weathering.

The compressive strength of granite under uniaxial compression is about 120-250MPa, which is definitely a good compression resistant material.

Although it is not as good as basic igneous rocks such as diabase, it is more compressive-resistant than most sedimentary and metamorphic rocks due to its uniform blocky structure and lack of weak structural surfaces.

Properties and origins of some domestic granites

Conversely, strong compressive resistance means that granite can bear a large weight, which is definitely the "king of strength" among rocks.

Many tall buildings are built with granite blocks.

For example, the body of the Monument to the People's Heroes is made of Laoshan granite.

For example, the Egyptian obelisk is carved from a whole piece of granite and weighs hundreds of tons.

Left: Monument to the People's Heroes | Right: Egyptian Obelisk

The main minerals contained in granite are quartz, feldspar and some dark minerals.

When the feldspar is mainly potassium feldspar, it is called potassium feldspar granite, and the rock appears flesh-red overall.

For example, the famous stone is the Yingjing red granite from Sichuan [2].

Yingjing Red Granite

This is also in line with the characteristics of Dawa's red color.

In addition, Big Baby has another skill - "Law of Heaven and Earth".

That is, it can become bigger or smaller.

The mineral crystals in granite can be large or small, which is related to the environment in which the magma crystallizes.

If the magma stays in a deep hotbed and has enough time and space to slowly crystallize, it tends to grow larger and have intact crystal morphology, so plutonic rocks usually have a coarse-grained structure.

Granite and its main minerals | Base map modified from Essentials of Geology, 13th Edition-Pearson (2016)

Rhyolite, with the same composition, is the product of granite magma erupting onto the surface. It is formed by the rapid condensation and crystallization of magma erupting onto the surface, and its mineral particles are tiny.

Rhyolite | Source: Rocks Minerals (DK Smithsonian Handbook) (Chris Pellant, 2021)

To sum up, the red strongman who can imitate the laws of nature, Da Wa, should turn into granite .

Part 2

Erwa - Orange - Clairvoyance, Super Ear - Sandstone

There are many orange rocks, but the one that deserves the title of "Clairvoyance and Super Ear" is:

It must be clastic rock .

Mount Uluru, Australia, with the theme of orange feldspathic sandstone I. Base map modified from (Earth Portrait of a Planet 2015 and Natural Wonders of the World-2017)

Clastic rocks include sandstone, shale, etc., which may be formed by the deposition of debris from rivers, lakes, etc.

Rivers are the porters of the earth's surface, capable of carrying rock debris from the mountains to thousands of miles away.

For example, at the mouth of the Yangtze River, you can find sediments from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

These sediments contain mineral particles from many different sources (such as detrital zircon, apatite, some heavy minerals, etc.), which record the history of rock formation, uplift and exhumation.

Therefore, if we grab a handful of sand from the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and analyze the sources of sand in different eras, we can know the past and present of the Yangtze River.

This is not just talk, there is a PNAS article to prove it [3].

Even if you've been to hell

- Dive to a depth of nearly 100 kilometers underground, then return to the surface with a completely changed appearance.

Geologists were able to recreate this entire process by picking up a few grains of sand containing garnet from the beach[4].

Garnet sands reveal rock-cycling processes occurring in the youngest HP-UHP terranes exhumed on Earth (Baldwin et al, 2021, PNAS)

The saying "a grain of sand, a world" is probably true.

It can be seen that the clastic rock has more than just the skills of Erwa's "Clairvoyance-Clairaudience".

In Journey to the West, there is a deity called Di Ting who is under the seat of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and has the power to know the past, identify his true identity, and know his past and present lives.

Therefore, the orange-colored "Clairvoyance and Super Ear" - Erwa, should be turned into sandstone.

The second of the Calabash Brothers - Clairvoyance and Superb Ears

Part 3

Sanwa - Yellow - Indestructible - Kimberlite

There are also many yellow rocks, including some sandstones, mudstones, granites, and weathered dolomites, all of which have a yellow appearance.

There is another type of igneous rock called "yellow feldspar", which is relatively obscure and is named after "yellow feldspar" (a mineral).

Although these rocks either have yellowish names or are yellowish in color,

But what really deserves the name "King Kong" is kimberlite .

Kimberlite | Source: Rocks Minerals (DK Smithsonian Handbook) (Chris Pellant, 2021)

Because the hardest mineral, diamond, is mainly found in kimberlite and lamproite.

Kimberlite, the main parent rock of diamond, is an alkaline ultrabasic ultra-shallow diagenetic rock (subvolcanic rock). It is the deepest igneous rock on Earth (up to more than 200 km) and carries a large amount of information about the deep Earth[5].

Kimberlite’s name contains “gold”, which is worthy of the yellow color Sanwa.

In addition, kimberlite is an ultramafic rock . Although most ultramafic rocks are dark-colored, their weathering surfaces are often yellow[6].

For example, weathered peridotite often has a yellow appearance and lacks beneficial elements such as potassium and phosphorus. It contains harmful elements such as chromium and nickel, which also makes its surface lack of biological parasites such as mosses and lichens[7].

Weathered dunite | Almklovdalen, Åheim, Møre og Romsdal, Norway (Hollocher, 2014)

Weathered dunite | Ugelvik, Otrøy, Møre og Romsdal, Norway (Hollocher, 2014)

Another example is herzburgite[8]

Weathered harzburgite | the Twin Sisters ultramafic complex, Washington, USA (Kruckenberg et al, 2013)

In addition, if you have ever collected ultramafic rock samples in the wild, you will definitely have a deeper understanding of "indestructibility".

Pei Yuanqing, who took Li Yuanba's double hammers head-on, said he had something to say.

The bending of the "blade" of the steel hammer and the cracking of the knuckles are minor matters. Please protect your face as well, people around you. Don't ask me how I know this.

Facing the pyroxene peridotite, the sledgehammer has not yet fallen, and he is ready to escape | Bronze horse archer photographed in Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province

Finally, although ultramafic rocks appear extremely hard and indestructible, they cannot withstand the "soft knives" of wind, frost, rain and snow, and are more sensitive to soft things than to hard things.

The weathering resistance of the main rock-forming minerals from small to large is:

Olivine, pyroxene, hornblende, plagioclase, biotite, potassium feldspar, muscovite, quartz.

Olivine and pyroxene, which rank first and second, are the main minerals in ultramafic rocks.

Therefore, ultramafic rocks are not resistant to weathering in the wild, just like Sanwa, who has a strong body but is eventually defeated by the "Hard and Soft Yin-Yang Sword" of the snake demon.

The three children were trapped by the snake spirit's "Hard and Soft Yin-Yang Sword"

In summary, the yellow-colored "Indestructible Diamond" - Sanwa, should turn into kimberlite.

Part 4

Four babies - green - fire baby - basalt

There are many green rocks, such as peridotite, rocks rich in chlorite or epidote, and so on.

However, in order to live up to the word "fire", I have to choose basalt, even though it looks a bit black.

Basalt | Source: Rocks Minerals (DK Smithsonian Handbook) (Chris Pellant, 2021)

Basalt is the product of rapid condensation of basic volcanic lava.

Lava from Kilauea volcano in Hawaii | Source: Visual China

For example, the Siberian, Emeishan and Deccan Igneous Provinces are all continental flood basalts.

Because basaltic magma has low viscosity and strong fluidity, wherever it goes, no matter whether it is plants or animals, they will be buried in the sea of ​​fire and turned into charcoal!

Just like the fourth child, he loves to use fire attacks!

Lava flow hits Indonesia | Source @Planet Institute

The carbonized wood site on the southern slope of Changbai Mountain, where a large area of ​​forest was buried and then burned in volcanic ash at hundreds of degrees to form carbonized wood | Image source @Planet Research Institute

The weathered basalt is dark green.

The basaltic igneous rock that has not erupted to the surface but has intruded shallowly on the surface is called diabase , which also has the word "green" in its name.

After ultra-high pressure metamorphism, basalt will form eclogite rich in garnet and omphacite.

Eclogite | Source: The rock & gem book-DK Publishing (2016)

Red and green, how does it compare to the fourth one?

The fourth of the Calabash Brothers - Fire Baby

Si Wa failed because he failed to cook the snake demon's magic weapon - "big pot rice"...

"Big pot rice" is not that easy to cook.

This big pot is like the continental lithosphere, which is thick and hard. It is not easy for basaltic magma to melt through the continental lithosphere.

They can only find a crack in the ground to crawl out, and most of the time they end up dying halfway.

Continental rifting pattern diagram | Source: Natural Wonders of the World-DK Publishing (2017)

To sum up, the green fire baby should turn into basalt.

Part.5

Wuwa - Cyan - Waterwa - Limestone

Shuiwa, of course you have to choose sedimentary rock.

Limestone is the first choice.

Limestone specimen photo: granular structure; massive structure; the main mineral composition is calcite | China Geological Museum

Limestone is the main raw material for cement production. It is a genuine sedimentary rock.

It is mainly deposited in marine environments in warm climates, and some are formed in lake environments.

Natural limestone often appears bluish-gray after being polished.

If we stretch it a little further, the metamorphic product of limestone, marble,

If pure white marble contains impurities such as diopside and lapis lazuli, it will be stained with bluish green[9].

Marble containing impurities such as diopside and lapis lazuli | Source: Rocks Minerals (DK Smithsonian Handbook) (Chris Pellant, 2021)

Old Five - Shui Wa, who is sucking the poisonous water from the snake

Because Wu Wa could absorb water, he ended up sucking in the snake's black poisonous water.

Flop...

Wait, this color, could this be——

oil?

That’s right!

Black crude oil!

Limestone is a type of carbonate rock.

Carbonate rocks can serve as both source rocks and important reservoirs.

In other words, this type of rock can both produce oil and serve as a container for storing oil.

The oil and gas reserves in carbonate reservoirs account for more than 50% of the world's total oil and gas reserves.

For example, there are nine high-yield wells in the world that have produced more than 10,000 tons per day, eight of which are in carbonate reservoirs[10].

In summary, the blue water baby should turn into limestone.

Part 6

Liuwa - Blue - Invisible - Obsidian

Liuwa’s main skill is “Invisibility”.

When it comes to the rock family that can be described as "cryptographic", the first thing that comes to my mind is the cryptocrystalline structure.

Cryptocrystalline structure refers to a structure in which the mineral particles are so small that they cannot be distinguished with the naked eye or under a magnifying glass.

But I finally chose rocks with glassy structures , which are more "hidden" than cryptocrystalline ones.

They do not consist of crystalline matter (minerals) but are instead composed of amorphous matter (glass)[5], and volcanic glass is more well-known.

When volcanic magma erupts from the surface and cools rapidly, the minerals in the magma do not have time to crystallize, thus forming this massive, dense rock with a glass-like texture.

As shown in the figure below, the basalt magma of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is torn apart by expanding steam bubbles with a diameter of about 10-30 meters, and the magma quickly condenses to form volcanic glass[11].

Photographer: Bruce Omori

The representative of glassy structure rocks is volcanic glass, among which obsidian is the most famous.

Obsidian | Image source: Rocks Minerals (DK Smithsonian Handbook) (Chris Pellant, 2021)

The main component of obsidian is colorless and transparent rhyolitic volcanic glass.

"Colorless and transparent" also reflects the characteristics of "invisibility".

The asphalt-like black obsidian we see in the picture above is due to the presence of small, dispersed, less than 5% magnetite microcrystalline impurities. Although the color is very dark, the color rate (volume fraction of dark minerals contained) in petrology is very low.

In addition, since Liuwa is good at hiding, the snake demon cannot catch him.

Finally, they tricked him into sticking a leaf on his butt, exposing his whereabouts and putting a thick, hard hat on his head.

The sixth of the Calabash Brothers - the invisible boy, with dogtail grass stuck on his butt by the goblin

Six kids, fell to the street...

This reminds me of a special kind of obsidian - "snowflake obsidian".

"Snowflake Obsidian" | Source: Rocks Minerals (DK Smithsonian Handbook) (Chris Pellant, 2021)

Does it look like some white leaves (snowflakes) are stuck on it?

It seems a bit sticky...

"Hidden" is there, what is the relationship between Obsidian and Liuwa's blue series?

This is difficult...

After racking my brains, I came up with an inexplicable connection.

Obsidian is dense and homogeneous, has high hardness, and has an extremely sharp fracture, and is often made into hunting tools by primitive people.

In Game of Thrones, the “dragon glass” that can kill the White Walkers is made of obsidian.[12]

Dragonglass Dagger | Source: A Song of Ice and Fire Chinese Wiki

Maesters in Westeros claim that dragonglass comes from underground fire, which is consistent with the volcanic origin of obsidian.

According to legend, during the great battle between the First Men and the Children of the Forest, the Children of the Forest made dragon crystal out of obsidian and inserted it into the heart of a First Men's child, who then gradually turned his eyes blue...

The scene Bran saw through Greensight in the sixth episode of the sixth season of the American HBO TV series "Game of Thrones".

Created the world's first White Walker - the Night King.

PS: This story is probably original to the TV series. This setting is not included in the unfinished novel A Song of Ice and Fire.[13]

The Night King, a character in the American HBO TV series "Game of Thrones", was the big boss who destroyed the world for six seasons, but was killed instantly by Arya.

Okay, I can’t continue…

In short, the blue-based "invisibility method" - Liuwa, should turn into obsidian.

Part 7

Qiwa - Purple - Treasure Gourd - Conglomerate

Yaowa’s skill is the magic gourd, which can collect everything.

The only rock that has this ability is gravel.

Devonian Yakniushan Formation complex conglomerate | Bronze horse archer photographed in Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province

Conglomerate is a type of proximal clastic sedimentary rock. Because the weathered debris is transported over a short distance and does not have time to be worn into smaller fragments, it is deposited and compacted in situ to become conglomerate.

Therefore, whether it is granite, basalt, peridotite, sandstone, limestone, or obsidian, all can be used as gravel components of conglomerate.

As long as there is source area, I dare to collect it.

Moreover, purple gravel is also relatively common, and both the matrix and gravel can appear purple.

You can even search for related entries on Baidu Encyclopedia.

A search on the National Rock and Mineral Fossil Resources Sharing Platform[14] yields a large number of results:

In addition, the complex conglomerate that Qiwa has transformed into is often a sign of the existence of mountains. This thick coarse clastic rock is also called molasse, which indicates the rapid uplift of mountains.

At the same time, such coarse clastic rocks also appear in the middle and late stages of the orogenic belt, during the post-collision extension stage.

This is also one of the evidences that Qiwawa is the youngest child.

Therefore, the purple "treasure gourd" - Qiwawa, should turn into gravel.

The Seventh Old Man Holding the Magic Gourd

Part 8

Geological evolution history of Hulushan

In summary, the Seven-Colored Mountain that Calabash Brothers transformed into is composed of a variety of rocks:

Dawa - Red - Hercules - Granite;

Erwa - orange - Clairvoyance, Super Ear - sandstone;

Sanwa - yellow - indestructible - kimberlite;

Four babies - green - fire babies - basalt;

Wuwa - cyan - Shuiwa - limestone;

Liu Wa - Blue - Invisibility - Obsidian;

Qiwawa - purple - treasure gourd - gravel.

After detailed investigations by several generations of geologists, the geological evolution history here has gradually become clear:

The ancient cratonic shield generally exposes Archean granite (TTG) basement and greenstone belts. Most of the former has evolved into migmatized granite gneiss domes, among which diamond-bearing kimberlite breccia pipes from deep are occasionally seen.

After a period of silence lasting hundreds of millions of years, frequent marine transgressions and retreats broke the tranquility, and clastic rocks, limestones and unconformities appeared alternately.

It is worth mentioning that a mantle plume event occurred during this period, forming the Hulushan Large Igneous Province, leaving behind a huge amount of continental overflow basalt; during this period, sporadic acidic volcanic magma erupted to form obsidian, which was later made into spearheads and arrowheads by local indigenous people.

The thick conglomerate in front of the mountain is a typical molasse combination, marking the climax of the orogenic period.

The academic community calls it——

Hulushan orogenic event.

Just for entertainment, not to be laughed at~

References:

1. Hong Xiangdao. New Handbook of Commonly Used Building Materials[M]. China Building Materials Industry Press, 2006.

2. Fujian Xishi Co., Ltd. World Stone Standard Atlas 1 China-produced Granite[M]. China Building Materials Industry Press, 2009.

3.Zheng H, Clift PD, Wang P, et al. Pre-miocene birth of the Yangtze River[J]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013, 110(19): 7556-7561.

4.Baldwin SL, Schönig J, Gonzalez JP, et al. . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021, 118(3).

5.abXu Xisheng, Qiu Jiansheng. Igneous Petrology[M]. Science Press, 2010.

6.Fry N. The field description of metamorphic rocks[M]. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.

7.Hollocher K. A pictorial guide to metamorphic rocks in the field[M]. CRC Press, 2014.

8.Kruckenberg SC, Tikoff B, Toy VG, et al. Strain localization associated with channelized melt migration in upper mantle lithosphere: Insights from the Twin Sisters ultramafic complex, Washington, USA[J]. Journal of Structural Geology, 2013, 50: 133-147.

9.Rocks Minerals (DK Smithsonian Handbook) (Chris Pellant) -DK Publishing (2021)10

10. Liu Guangdi. Petroleum Geology-4th Edition[M]. Petroleum Industry Press, 2009.

11.Gonnermann 2015 Annu. Rev. Earth Planet Sci. 2015.43: 431-58

12.https://asoiaf.fandom.com/zh/wiki/%E9%BE%99%E6%99%B6

13.https://asoiaf.huijiwiki.com/wiki/%E5%A4%9C%E7%8E%8B

14. http://www.nimrf.net.cn/

Source: This content comes from the answer of @ Bronze Horse Archer on Zhihu

https://www.zhihu.com/question/434407651/answer/2683066245

This article has been authorized for reprinting. If you need to reprint, please contact the original author

The article only represents the author's views and does not represent the position of China Science Expo

Please indicate the source of the reprint. Reprinting without authorization is prohibited.

For reprint authorization, cooperation, and submission matters, please contact [email protected]