Understanding Plutonism and its Role in Planetary Differentiation

Plutonism is a term used in geology to describe the process of planetary differentiation, where a large, differentiated body (such as a planet or moon) forms from a molten, partially differentiated ancestor. This process involves the separation of distinct layers or "plutons" of material within the body, each with its own unique composition and properties.

The term "plutonist" is not commonly used in geology, but it has been used to describe someone who advocates for the plutonist model of planetary differentiation, which suggests that the Earth and other planets formed through a series of large-scale magmatic events rather than through gradual accumulation of small particles.

In general, the term "plutonist" is not widely used in geology, and the more commonly used terms to describe this process are "planetary differentiation" or "plutonism."