Time for some new tricks: the optical indicatrix

Thought experiment:
Consider an isotropic mineral (e.g., garnet)

Imagine point source of

light at garnet center;
turn light on for fixed
amount of time, then map
out distance traveled by
light in that time

What geometric shape is defined by mapped light rays?

 Isotropic indicatrix

Light travels the same

Soccer ball distance in all directions;
(or an orange) n is same everywhere,
thus = nhi-nlo = 0 = black
anisotropic minerals - uniaxial indicatrix
c-axis

c-axis

calcite

quartz

Lets perform the same thought experiment

 Uniaxial indicatrix
c-axis
c-axis

tangerine = uniaxial (-)

Spaghetti squash = uniaxial (+) calcite

quartz
 Uniaxial indicatrix

Circular section is perpendicular to the stem (c-axis)

 Uniaxial indicatrix
(biaxial ellipsoid)

c=Z

c=Z
n
n
n n
a=X a=X
b=Y b=Y

What can the indicatrix tell us about

optical properties of individual grains?
 Propagate light along the c-axis, note what
happens to it in plane of thin section

c=Z
n

n n
n
a=X
b=Y

n -n =0
therefore, =0: grain stays black
(same as the isotropic case)
 Now propagate light perpendicular to c-axis
N
n -n >0
therefore, >0

n
W n E

n
n
S

Grain changes color upon rotation.

Grain will go black whenever indicatrix
axis is E-W or N-S

This orientation will show the maximum of the mineral

 Conoscopic Viewing
A condensing lens below the stage and a
Bertrand lens above it
Arrangement essentially folds planes cone

Light rays are refracted by

condensing lens & pass
through crystal in different
directions
Thus different properties
Only light in the center of field
of view is vertical & like
ortho
Fig 7-13 Bloss, Optical
Interference Figures Very
Crystallography, MSA useful for determining
optical properties of xl
 How interference figures work (uniaxial example)

What do we see??
Bertrand
lens

N-S polarizer

Sample
(looking down OA)

Interference figure provides a zoomed

sub-stage picture of the optic axes and the
condenser areas around that which have rays
which are split and refracted must be
gathered in line with optic axis!!

W E-W polarizer Jane Selverstone, University of New Mexico, 2003

 Uniaxial Interference O E

Figure

Circles of isochromes
Black cross (isogyres) results from
Fig. 7-14 locus of extinction directions
Center of cross (melatope)
represents optic axis
Approx 30o inclination of OA will
put it at margin of field of view
 Uniaxial Figure
Centered axis figure as 7-14: when
rotate stage cross does not rotate
Off center: cross still E-W and N-S, but
melatope rotates around center
Fig. 7-14
Melatope outside field: bars sweep
through, but always N-S or E-W at
center
Flash Figure: OA in plane of stage
Diffuse black fills field brief time as
rotate
Optic Sign
Find NE-SW quadrants of
the field
Slide the full wave (550nm)
plate (aka gypusm plate) in
This slows the ray aligned
NE-SW relative to the
retardation - if that ray is
more retarded it turns blue
(adds 550 nm of
retardation)
anisotropic minerals - biaxial indicatrix

feldspar
clinopyroxene

Now things get a lot more complicated

 Biaxial indicatrix
(triaxial ellipsoid) 2Vz
Z
OA OA
2Vz

n
n

n
n
n
X The potato!
Y
n n
n
n
n n

There are 2 different ways to cut this and get a circle

Alas, the potato (indicatrix) can have any orientation
within a biaxial mineral

c
Y c
olivine Z augite

b
b Y
a X
Z
a
X
 Biaxial Minerals Optic Axes
Biaxial Minerals have 2 optic axes
Recall that biaxial minerals are of lower
symmetry crystal classes (orthorhombic,
monoclinic, and triclinic)
The plane containing the 2 optic axes is the
optic plane looking down either results in
extinction in XPL-no retardation, birefringence
The acute angle between the 2 different optic
axes is the 2V angle how this angle relates
to the velocities of refracted rays in the crystal
determines the sign (+ or -)
 but there are a few generalizations that we can make

The potato has 3 perpendicular principal axes of

different length thus, we need 3 different RIs
to describe a biaxial mineral

X direction = n (lowest)
Y direction = n (intermed; radius of circ. section)
Z direction = n (highest)

Orthorhombic: axes of indicatrix coincide w/ xtl axes

Monoclinic: Y axis coincides w/ one xtl axis
Triclinic: none of the indicatrix axes coincide w/ xtl axes
 2V: a diagnostic property of biaxial minerals

Z
OA OA
When 2V is acute about Z: (+)
2Vz
When 2V is acute about X: (-)

n When 2V=90, sign is indeterminate

When 2V=0, mineral is uniaxial
n
X
n
Y

2V is measured using an interference figure

More in a few minutes
 Biaxial interference figures

There are lots of types of biaxial figures well concentrate on only two

1. Optic axis figure - pick a grain that stays dark on rotation

Will see one determine sign w/ gyps

curved isogyre
(+) (-)

determine 2V from curvature of isogyre

90 60 40
 Biaxial interference figures

2. Bxa figure (acute bisectrix) - obtained when you are looking straight
down between the two O.A.s. Hard to find, but look for a grain with
intermediate . OA
Z
OA
2Vz

n
X
n
Y

Use this figure to get sign and 2V:

(+) 2V=20 2V=40 2V=60

Quick review:

Indicatrix gives us a way to relate optical phenomena to

crystallographic orientation, and to explain differences
between grains of the same mineral in thin section

Z
OA OA
2Vz
hi
n

n
X
n
Y

Z
OA OA
2Vz
lo
n

n
X
n
Y

Isotropic? Uniaxial? Biaxial? Sign? 2V?

All of these help us to uniquely identify unknown minerals.
Review techniques for identifying unknown minerals

Start in PPL:
Color/pleochroism
Relief
Cleavages
Habit

Then go to XPL:
Birefringence
Twinning
Extinction angle
And Confocal lense:
Uniaxial or biaxial?
2V if biaxial
Positive or negative?
Go to your book

Chemical formula
Symmetry
Uniaxial or biaxial, (+) or (-)
RIs: lengths of indicatrix axes
Birefringence ( ) = N-n
2V if biaxial

Diagrams:
* Crystallographic axes
* Indicatrix axes
* Optic axes
* Cleavages
* Extinction angles