Re: piezotherm?

At the risk of being preachy, let's keep it simple and try to conform to the dictionary so that others, not part of the "fraternity" of the geochemically oriented or specialists in metamorphic petrology, such as geophysicists or even non-geologists, will be able to understand what we're talking about with the aid of a standard dictionary. The usage here would also conform to the usage of Willard Gibbs, who referred to "isotherms" and "isopiests." "Piezo" (like "piest") derives from the Greek piezein for "press" and has been associated in modern times with both "stress" (a second rank tensor quantity; compare Ed Poindexter's "piezobirefringence") and its related zero rank tensor property (like temperature), "pressure" (context has usually been sufficient to discriminate between the two and avoid confusion). Likewise "thermo" derives from the Greek therme for "heat" (that was before Sadi Carnot!) and has long been associated with "temperature" as developed in innumerable treatises on thermodynamics. So, if I were outside the "fraternity," I would interpret a "piezotherm" as a pressure-temperature (P-T) point in a P-T plot (but I think "pressure-temperature point" communicates better. Thus, where I was concerned with determining such points a third of a century ago [Rosenfeld, J. L. (1969). Stress Effects Around Quartz Inclusions in Almandine and the Piezothermometry of Coexisting Aluminum Silicates. Amer. Jour. Sci. 267 (Aluminum Silicate Issue): 317-351.; See also Adams et al., 1975a,b) and Cohen et al., 1979, below], I didn't think the term, piezothermometry needed explanation, as "piezometer" and "thermometer" are terms in even reduced English dictionaries. I even contemplated suggesting that the word might eventually - in use - be contracted to "Ptometer" to be pronounced as in the word, "ptarmigan!" The group of metamorphic petrologists at the Yale Aluminum Silicate conference seemed comfortable with the term. This was before I was aware, for reasons I don't understand, that some were contemplating the use of "thermobarometry" as a synonym. "Barometer," strictly speaking at the time referred to- and still does in my dictionary - a device for measuring atmospheric pressure, not pressure in rocks. So, for what it's worth, here's a little etymology and history relating to our science. I hope it helps to clarify things.

06. Adams, H. G., L. H. Cohen and J. L. Rosenfeld. (1975). Solid Inclusion Piezothermometry I: Comparison Dilatometry. Amer. Mineral. 60: 574-583.

07. Adams, H. G., L. H. Cohen and J. L. Rosenfeld. (1975). Solid Inclusion Piezothermometry II: Geometric Basis, Calibration for the Association Quartz-Garnet, and Application to Some Pelitic Schists. Amer. Mineral. 60: 584-598.

08. Cohen, L. H. and J. L. Rosenfeld. (1979). Diamond: Depth of Crystallization inferred from Compressed Included Garnet. Jour. Geol. 87: 333-340.