Diaplectic

Diaplectic is an adjective used primarily in geology and materials science to describe phenomena related to diaplectic processes, specifically high-pressure, non-melting transformations that occur during shock metamorphism or similar compression events.

The term is most often encountered in discussions of diaplectic glass, a crystalline-rock-derived glass formed when minerals are subjected to sudden, intense pressure and transform to a glassy state without passing through a bulk melt. Diaplectic glass is typically associated with meteorite impact structures or underground explosions, and it differs from lechatelierite, which forms by melting and quenching.

Diaplectic textures and phases provide evidence of high-pressure conditions and rapid pressure release. In addition to glassy products, diaplectic transformations may yield high-pressure mineral products or deformation textures that preserve shock features. They are used to infer pressure-temperature histories in impact structures.

In practice, the use of diaplectic is specialized; it is mainly found in scientific literature on shock metamorphism and experimental high-pressure studies.