| 1. Domain | 1.1 Scope of the Domain | Boundaries | The range of phenomena the science includes and excludes. | Studies the origin, composition, formation, transformation, and classification of rocks and the processes that create them (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary); excludes large-scale tectonics unless directly tied to rock-forming processes, and excludes pure mineral chemistry unless applied to bulk rock evolution. |
| | Scale | The spatial, temporal, or organizational level at which the science operates (e.g., quantum, cellular, social, cosmic). | Operates from atomic bonding in minerals → mineral assemblages → rock textures → outcrop- and crustal-scale lithologic units; spans nanometers (crystal defects) to kilometers (bodies, plutons, metamorphic terrains). |
| 1.2 Ontological Commitments | Entities | The kinds of things assumed to exist within the domain (particles, organisms, agents, fields, etc.). | Minerals, melts, fluids, rock bodies, mineral assemblages, textures, xenoliths, inclusions, reaction rims, metamorphic zones, sedimentary components, metamorphic facies, grain boundaries, porosity, fractures. |
| | Properties | The fundamental attributes these entities possess (mass, charge, genotype, preference, etc.). | Mineral proportions, grain size, texture, fabric, modal composition, bulk chemistry, density, porosity, permeability, degree of metamorphism, melt fraction, volatile content, reaction progress, reactivity. |
| | Categories | The basic ontological types used to classify domain elements (substances, processes, relations, structures). | Igneous rocks (intrusive/extrusive), metamorphic rocks (foliated/non-foliated), sedimentary rocks (clastic/chemical/biogenic), metamorphic facies, magma types, protolith categories, reaction types, melting/solidification regimes. |
| 1.3 State-Variables | Variables | The measurable or definable properties that describe system conditions. | Temperature, pressure, composition (bulk + mineral), volatile content (H₂O/CO₂/S), oxygen fugacity, melt fraction, grain size, strain, deformation rate, time, fluid activity, reaction progress. |
| | Parameterization | How variables encode and represent the system’s state. | States encoded via phase diagrams, thermodynamic potentials (G, μ), mineral modes, equilibrium constants, isopleths, isograds, P–T–X conditions, melt compositions, mineral–fluid partition coefficients, reaction rates. |
| 1.4 Admissible Idealizations | Simplifications | Conceptual reductions used to make the domain tractable (point masses, rational agents, perfect gases). | Equilibrium crystallization, closed-system behavior, ideal solid solutions, homogeneous bulk composition, constant P–T during reactions, unstrained grains, ignoring kinetic hindrance or diffusion barriers. |
| | Validity Conditions | The limits and contexts in which idealizations hold or break down. | Valid in slowly cooled deep crust, high-temperature equilibrium contexts, simple mineral systems; breaks down in rapidly quenched rocks, open-system metasomatism, kinetic inhibition, deformation-driven metamorphism, zoned minerals. |
| 1.5 Domain Assumptions | Structural Assumptions | Background ontological stances such as determinism, continuity, randomness, discreteness. | Mineral assemblages reflect P–T–X conditions; rocks obey thermodynamic constraints; textures record geological history; reactions follow predictable pathways; melting/solidification follow phase-equilibrium rules. |
| | Implicit Commitments | Unstated but necessary assumptions that shape the field’s conceptual structure. | Assumes stable mineral compositions, identifiable protoliths, interpretable reaction histories, reliable mapping of mineralogy → P–T paths, and consistent relationships between mineral chemistry and bulk rock evolution. |
| 1.6 Internal Coherence Requirements | Consistency | The demand that domain concepts do not contradict one another. | Requires agreement among mineral assemblages, textures, P–T paths, chemical compositions, phase-equilibrium predictions, and geological field relationships. |
| | Compatibility | The requirement that entities, variables, and assumptions fit together into a unified descriptive framework. | Demands alignment between petrology, mineralogy, geochemistry, thermodynamics, structural geology, geophysics, and tectonics within an integrated model of rock formation and evolution. |
| 2. Evidence Layer | 2.1 Observable Phenomena | Observables | The aspects of the domain that can produce detectable signals accessible to measurement. | Mineral assemblages, grain size, foliation/lineation, porphyroblasts, zoning, reaction rims, melt inclusions, vesicles, phenocryst textures, mineral chemistry variations, color index, modal proportions, xenoliths, exsolution textures. |
| | Detection Limits | The boundaries of what can be resolved or sensed by current instruments or methods. | Limited by grain size, alteration/weathering, low-abundance minerals, fine-scale zoning below optical resolution, low melt fractions, weak geochemical signals, detector noise in microprobe/MS, thin-section quality. |
| 2.2 Measurement Systems | Units | Standardized quantifications (meters, seconds, volts, decibels, dollars, etc.) necessary for consistent comparison. | Mineral proportions (%), grain size (µm–mm), chemical compositions (wt%, ppm), density (g/cm³), P–T estimates (°C, GPa), isotopic ratios, modal proportions (%), melt fraction (%), reaction progress (%), orientation angles (°). |
| | Instruments | Devices and tools (microscopes, spectrometers, sensors, surveys, detectors) used to produce measurements. | Petrographic microscopes, SEM/TEM, electron microprobe, LA-ICP-MS, XRF, XRD, Raman/IR spectrometers, microthermometry stages, cathodoluminescence systems, EPMA, micro-CT, mass spectrometers for isotopes. |
| 2.3 Operational Definitions | Definitions | Terms defined by specific measurement procedures, ensuring empirical clarity. | Rock type defined by mineral assemblage; facies defined by diagnostic mineral pairs; P–T conditions inferred from geothermobarometers; modal % from point counting; melt fraction defined by interstitial glass/crystal proportions. |
| | Procedures | The explicit steps required to perform a measurement in a reproducible way. | Thin-section preparation, point counting, mineral separation, microprobe analysis, isotopic measurement, Raman/IR scans, XRD runs, fluid/melt inclusion heating-freezing experiments, textural profiling, whole-rock geochemistry. |
| 2.4 Data Acquisition | Protocols | Formal processes for gathering data under controlled or standardized conditions. | Systematic thin-section scanning, whole-rock sampling grids, replicate mineral analyses, zonation traverses, multi-point chemistry profiling, multi-step inclusion microthermometry, repeated geochemical assays. |
| | Sampling | Rules determining which subset of the domain is measured and how representative it is. | Representative field sampling, multiple thin sections, multi-grain mineral analysis, zoning traverses, sampling across lithologic boundaries, replicate inclusion populations, stratigraphic or depth-specific sampling. |
| 2.5 Data Character & Format | Data Types | The form raw evidence takes (time series, spectra, images, counts, qualitative records). | Thin-section images, mineral chemistry tables, geochemical profiles, XRD diffractograms, Raman/IR spectra, isotopic ratios, microprobe element maps, reaction textures, P–T estimates, classification diagrams. |
| | Resolution | The granularity or precision with which data is captured. | Controlled by microscope NA, SEM/TEM resolution, microprobe spot size, laser spot size (LA-ICP-MS), XRD step size, spectral resolution, inclusion size limits, and geochemical detection thresholds. |
| 2.6 Reliability & Calibration | Calibration | Adjustment procedures ensuring instruments produce accurate results. | Microprobe standards, XRD wavelength standards, LA-ICP-MS elemental standards, Raman/IR reference minerals, microscope alignment, microthermometry calibration, isotopic standardization. |
| | Error Characterization | Identification and quantification of noise, uncertainty, bias, and measurement error. | Analytical drift, beam damage, section thickness variability, zoning complexity, metamorphic overprints, weathering, contamination, misidentified minerals, mixed phases, instrumental noise, sampling bias. |
| 3. Structural Layer | 3.1 Patterns & Regularities | Laws / Relations | Stable, repeatable patterns governing how observables behave across conditions. | Mineral assemblages reflect equilibrium P–T–X conditions; Bowen’s reaction series governs igneous differentiation; metamorphic facies correspond to specific P–T fields; fractional crystallization and partial melting follow thermodynamic laws; diffusion controls zoning. |
| | Invariants | Quantities or properties that remain constant under transformations (symmetries, conservation laws). | Stable phase boundaries, characteristic mineral pairs, conserved facies indicators, predictable crystallization sequences, invariant P–T reactions (e.g., dehydration), persistent bulk-composition ratios in specific rock types. |
| 3.2 Causal Architecture | Mechanisms | Underlying processes or structures that produce the observed regularities. | Melting, crystallization, assimilation, magma mixing, metasomatism, metamorphic reactions (growth/dissolution), dehydration/decarbonation, diffusion, recrystallization, diagenesis, cementation, compaction. |
| | Pathways | Organized sequences of interactions forming a causal chain or network. | Igneous evolution (melt → crystal mush → solid rock), prograde/retrograde P–T paths, sediment lithification sequences, melt extraction pathways, metamorphic reaction progressions, diffusion-driven zoning trajectories. |
| 3.3 Theoretical Vocabulary | Concepts | Core terms that encode the domain’s structure (force, gene, equilibrium, field). | Solidus, liquidus, eutectic, peritectic, facies series, stability fields, geothermobarometers, P–T paths, reaction progress, partial melting degree, modal mineralogy, protolith, xenolith, equilibrium vs disequilibrium. |
| | Classifications | Taxonomies, categories, or typologies that organize entities and relations. | Igneous rock classes (felsic/intermediate/mafic/ultramafic), metamorphic facies (greenschist/amphibolite/granulite/blueschist/eclogite), sedimentary rock types, magmatic series (tholeiitic/calc-alkaline), P–T path types. |
| 3.4 Formal Representations | Equations | Mathematical constructs expressing laws, relations, or mechanisms. | Clapeyron equation, thermodynamic equilibrium equations, melt-fraction equations, diffusion equations (Fick’s laws), geothermobarometer calibrations, modal-balance equations, Gibbs free-energy relations. |
| | Models | Structured representations—mathematical, computational, or conceptual—used to predict and explain phenomena. | Phase-diagram models, melt-evolution models, thermodynamic models (Perple_X/THERMOCALC), diffusion–zoning models, magma-chamber models, metamorphic P–T path models, diagenesis models. |
| 3.5 Idealized Structures | Simplified Models | Purposeful abstractions that capture essential dynamics while omitting irrelevant detail. | Perfect equilibrium, closed-system conditions, ideal solid solutions, homogeneous mineral compositions, uniform P–T environment, no fluids, no deformation, linear reaction progress, unzoned grains. |
| | Limit Conditions | Regimes where specific models or approximations hold (classical vs. quantum, linear vs. nonlinear). | Fail in open-system metasomatism, rapid cooling, deformation, strong zoning, kinetic hindrance, reactive fluids, polyphase melting, disequilibrium textures, metamict or overprinted minerals. |
| 3.6 Integrative Frameworks | Unifying Theories | Higher-order structures that connect disparate laws or mechanisms under a coherent whole. | Integration of mineralogy, geochemistry, thermodynamics, phase equilibria, and field geology into one framework: atomic bonding → mineral assemblages → rock textures → crustal processes. |
| | Interdisciplinary Links | Points where the theory connects to adjacent sciences or larger explanatory systems. | Connects to mineralogy, geochemistry, structural geology, tectonics, volcanology, metamorphic petrology, sedimentology, materials science, and planetary geology. |
| 4. Method Layer | 4.1 Inquiry Design | Experimental Design | Structured plans for manipulating variables to test causal claims. | Controlling temperature, pressure, bulk composition, volatile content, oxygen fugacity, deformation rate, melt fraction, and reaction environment to test hypotheses about rock formation, metamorphism, and magmatic processes. |
| | Observational Design | Systematic approaches for gathering non-manipulated data (surveys, field studies, natural experiments). | Monitoring natural metamorphic overprints, spontaneous recrystallization, diffusion zoning, melt segregation, diagenetic cementation, and weathering/mineral alteration without direct experimental manipulation. |
| 4.2 Testing & Validation | Hypothesis Testing | Procedures for evaluating whether evidence supports or contradicts specific claims. | Comparing predicted mineral assemblages, P–T paths, melt fractions, reaction sequences, and geochemical trends with data from thin-sections, XRD, microprobe chemistry, isotopes, and thermodynamic modeling. |
| | Replication | The requirement that results be independently reproducible under similar conditions. | Repeating thin-section analysis, microprobe traverses, XRD scans, geochemical assays, inclusion microthermometry runs, and thermodynamic model calculations across independent samples and analytical sessions. |
| 4.3 Inference & Evaluation | Statistical Inference | Rules for drawing conclusions from noisy or incomplete data. | Estimating uncertainties in P–T calculations, reaction-progress metrics, modal proportions, compositional zoning, melt fraction estimates, and geochemical trend confidence intervals; decomposing analytical vs natural variance. |
| | Model Comparison | Criteria (fit, simplicity, predictive accuracy, robustness) used to evaluate competing models. | Evaluating competing P–T paths, alternative phase-equilibrium models, different melt-evolution scenarios, diffusion-versus-reaction explanations for zoning, and closed-system versus open-system interpretations. |
| 4.4 Error Management | Error Analysis | Identification and quantification of random and systematic errors. | Identifying misidentification of minerals, calibration drift, section-thickness artifacts, zoning misreads, mixed grains, weathering effects, preferred mineral orientations, and contamination during geochemical analyses. |
| | Bias Control | Methods for minimizing subjective, instrumental, or procedural biases. | Randomizing sampling locations, blinding mineral ID when possible, independent verification of modal counts, standardizing thin-section preparation, cross-checking microprobe calibration, and avoiding cherry-picked grains. |
| 4.5 Adjudication & Revision | Peer Scrutiny | Collective evaluation of claims through critique, review, and debate. | Independent review of mineral ID, reaction interpretations, P–T calculations, diffusion profiles, geochemical trends, phase-diagram choices, field relationships, and proposed rock-evolution scenarios. |
| | Theory Revision | Procedures for modifying, replacing, or discarding models based on new evidence. | Updating reaction models, revising P–T paths, correcting facies assignments, redefining crystallization sequences, adjusting melt-evolution models, and incorporating contradictory mineralogical or geochemical evidence. |
| 4.6 Integrity Conditions | Transparency | Requirements to disclose methods, data, assumptions, and limitations. | Full reporting of sample context, thin-section quality, calibration routines, analytical conditions, modeling assumptions, raw data, exclusions, and uncertainties in mineral/chemical measurements. |
| | Ethical Standards | Norms ensuring responsible conduct in experimentation, data handling, and publication. | Honest reporting of ambiguous textures, uncertain mineral IDs, negative results, failed calibrations, mixed or altered samples, and compliance with ethical standards for sample collection and data handling. |