scholarly journals Sm-Nd garnet ages for granulite and eclogite in the Breaksea Orthogneiss and widespread granulite facies metamorphism of the lower crust, Fiordland magmatic arc, New Zealand

Lithosphere ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 953-975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold H. Stowell ◽  
J.J. Schwartz ◽  
K.A. Klepeis ◽  
C. Hout ◽  
A.J. Tulloch ◽  
...  
2019 ◽  
Vol 131 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1591-1606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hailin Wu ◽  
Wenbin Zhu ◽  
Rongfeng Ge

Abstract Granulite occupies the root of orogenic belts, and understanding its formation and evolution may provide critical information on orogenic processes. Previous studies have mainly focused on garnet-bearing high-pressure and medium-pressure granulites, whereas the metamorphic evolution and pressure-temperature (P-T) paths of garnet-absent, low-pressure granulites are more difficult to constrain. Here, we present zircon U-Pb ages and mineral chemistry for a suite of newly discovered two-pyroxene granulites in the North Altyn Tagh area, southeastern Tarim craton, northwestern China. Conventional geothermobarometry and phase equilibrium modeling revealed that these rocks experienced a peak granulite-facies metamorphism at T = 790–890 °C and P = 8–11 kbar. The mineral compositions and retrograde symplectites record a clockwise cooling and exhumation path, possibly involving near-isothermal decompression followed by near-isobaric cooling. Zircon U-Pb dating yielded a ca. 1.97 Ga metamorphic age, which likely represents the initial cooling age, based on Ti-in-zircon thermometry. Combined with regional geological records, we interpret that these granulites originated from the basement rocks of a late Paleoproterozoic magmatic arc that was subsequently involved in a collisional orogen in the southern Tarim craton, presumably related to the assembly of the Columbia/Nuna supercontinent. The clockwise P-T paths of the granulites record crustal thickening and burial followed by crustal thinning and exhumation in the upper plate of the collisional orogen. Our data indicate that the initial exhumation of this orogen probably occurred no later than ca. 1.97 Ga, which is supported by widespread 1.93–1.85 Ga postorogenic magmatism in this area.


1992 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 765-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. B. Lucas ◽  
M. R. St-Onge

The tectonic history of the early Proterozoic Ungava orogen is marked by structural–metamorphic episodes that both predate and postdate a collision between a magmatic arc terrane and the northern continental margin of the Superior Province. Distinct precollisional tectonic histories are documented for the rocks forming the lower plate of the Ungava orogen (the Archean Superior Province basement and an Early Proterozoic rift-to-drift margin sequence) and the orogenic upper plate (Early Proterozoic ophiolitic and magmatic arc units). The lower-plate units preserved in the external part of the orogen (Cape Smith Thrust Belt) record the development of a foreland thrust belt characterized by south-verging faults ramping up from a basal décollement located at the basement–cover contact. The plutonic core of the magmatic arc contains structures and metamorphic assemblages indicative of an episode of dextral transcurrent deformation contemporaneous with granulite-facies metamorphism and arc plutonism. The "tectonically suspect" ophiolitic and arc units were accreted to the thrust belt along south-verging faults, which reimbricated the foreland thrust belt and which resulted in at least 100 km of displacement of upper-plate units with respect to the autochthonous basement. Collisional thickening and consequent exhumation resulted in relatively high-pressure, greenschist- to amphibolite-facies metamorphism of lower-plate cover units, and in the retrogression of high-grade assemblages in the arc rocks. Postaccretion shortening resulted in folding of both the allochthonous rocks and the footwall basement.


Solid Earth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2303-2325
Author(s):  
José Manuel Benítez-Pérez ◽  
Pedro Castiñeiras ◽  
Juan Gómez-Barreiro ◽  
José R. Martínez Catalán ◽  
Andrew Kylander-Clark ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Sobrado unit, within the upper part of the Órdenes Complex (NW Spain) represents an allochthonous tectonic slice of exhumed high-grade metamorphic rocks formed during a complex sequence of orogenic processes in the middle to lower crust. In order to constrain those processes, U–Pb geochronology and rare-earth element (REE) analyses of accessory minerals in migmatitic paragneiss (monazite, zircon) and mylonitic amphibolites (titanite) were conducted using laser ablation split stream inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LASS-ICP-MS). The youngest metamorphic zircon age obtained coincides with a Middle Devonian concordia monazite age (∼380 Ma) and is interpreted to represent the minimum age of the Sobrado high-P granulite facies metamorphism that occurred during the early stages of the Variscan orogeny. Metamorphic titanite from the mylonitic amphibolites yield a Late Devonian age (∼365 Ma) and track the progressive exhumation of the Sobrado unit. In zircon, cathodoluminescence images and REE analyses allow two aliquots with different origins in the paragneiss to be distinguished. An Early Ordovician age (∼490 Ma) was obtained for metamorphic zircons, although with a large dispersion, related to the evolution of the rock. This age is considered to mark the onset of granulite facies metamorphism in the Sobrado unit under intermediate-P conditions, and related to intrusive magmatism and coeval burial in a magmatic arc setting. A maximum depositional age for the Sobrado unit is established in the late Cambrian (∼511 Ma). The zircon dataset also record several inherited populations. The youngest cogenetic set of zircons yields crystallization ages of 546 and 526 Ma which are thought to be related to the peri-Gondwanan magmatic arc. The additional presence of inherited zircons older than 1000 Ma is interpreted as suggesting a West African Craton provenance.


Author(s):  
Richard Volkert ◽  
John N. Aleinikoff

New zircon U–Pb geochronologic data from the Grenville-age Trenton Prong provide information on the age of magmatism, timing of metamorphism, and post-metamorphic history of the inlier. Diorite gneiss (1318 ± 13 Ma) of the Colonial Lake Suite temporally correlates to magmatic arc sequences that formed along the eastern margin of Laurentia at <1.4 Ga. Metasedimentary gneisses yielded detrital zircon ages of ca. 1319-1133 Ma and ca. 1370-1207, consistent with sediment derived from a similar local source of Laurentian affinity. A small population of zircon (either detrital or igneous in origin) in one sample yielded ages of ca. 1074-1037 Ma. Possible interpretations for their formation are explored. Ca. 1060 Ma overgrowths on zircon in the northern part of the inlier constrain the timing of granulite-facies metamorphism to the Ottawan phase of the Grenvillian Orogeny. The undeformed Assunpink Creek Granite (1041 ± 6 Ma) intruded country rocks as small bodies of late-orogenic syenogranite. It provides a minimum age for amphibolite-facies metamorphism and Ottawan orogenesis elsewhere in the inlier. Regionally, zircon rim ages of ca. 1010–960 Ma record continued thermal activity during the Rigolet phase of the orogen that resulted in migmatization of paragneiss at ca. 1004 Ma and juxtaposition of upper- and mid-crustal rocks during orogenic collapse. The lithologic ages and tectonic history of the Trenton Prong correlate to those in other Appalachian Mesoproterozoic inliers, and parts of the Canadian Grenville Province, confirming it is not an exotic terrane that was accreted to eastern Laurentia during Grenvillian orogenesis.


Lithos ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 124 (1-2) ◽  
pp. vii-ix
Author(s):  
Karel Schulmann ◽  
Richard W. White

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Manuel Benítez-Pérez ◽  
Pedro Castiñeiras ◽  
Juan Gómez-Barreiro ◽  
José Ramón Martínez Catalán ◽  
Andrew Kylander-Clark ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Sobrado unit, within the upper part of the Órdenes complex (NW Iberia) represents an allochthonous tectonic slice of exhumed high grade metamorphic rocks formed during a complex sequence of orogenic processes in the middle to lower crust. In order to constrain those processes, U-Pb geochronology and REE analyses of accessory minerals in migmatitic paragneisses (monazite, zircon), and mylonitic amphibolites (titanite) were conducted using LASS-ICP-MS. The youngest metamorphic zircon age obtained co-incides with a Middle Devonian concordia monazite age (~ 385 Ma) and is interpreted to represent the minimum age of the Sobrado high-P granulite-facies metamorphism that occurred during the early stages of the Variscan Orogeny. Metamorphic titanites from the mylonitic amphibolites yield a Late Devonian age (~ 365 Ma), and track the progressive exhumation of the Sobrado unit. In zircon, cathodoluminescence images and REE analyses allow two aliquots with different origins in the paragneiss to be distinguished. An Early Ordovician age (~ 490 Ma) was obtained for metamorphic zircons, employing the TuffZirc algorithm, although with a large analytical dispersion. This age is considered to mark the onset of granulite-facies metamorphism in the Sobrado unit under intermediate-P conditions, and related to intrusive magmatism and coeval burial in a magmatic arc setting. A maximum depositional age for the Sobrado unit is established in the late Cambrian (~ 503 Ma). The zircon dataset also record several inherited populations. The youngest cogenetic set of zircons yield a crystallization age from TuffZirc algorithm of ~ 530 Ma and are thought to be related to the peri-Gondwana magmatic arc. The additional presence of inherited zircons older than ~ 530 Ma is interpreted as suggesting a West African Craton provenance.


Author(s):  
Yinbiao Peng ◽  
Shengyao Yu ◽  
Jianxin Zhang ◽  
Yunshuai Li ◽  
Sanzhong Li ◽  
...  

Continental arcs in active continental margins (especially deep-seated arc magmatism, anatexis, and metamorphism) can be extremely significant in evaluating continent building processes. In this contribution, a Paleozoic continental arc section is constructed based on coeval granulite-facies metamorphism, anatexis, and magmatism on the northern margin of the Qilian Block, which record two significant episodes of continental crust growth. The deeper layer of the lower crust mainly consists of medium-high pressure mafic and felsic granulites, with apparent peak pressure-temperature conditions of 11−13 kbar and 800−950 °C, corresponding to crustal depths of ∼35−45 km. The high-pressure mafic granulite and local garnet-cumulate represent mafic residues via dehydration melting involving breakdown of amphibole with anatectic garnet growth. Zircon U-Pb geochronology indicates that these high-grade metamorphic rocks experienced peak granulite-facies metamorphism at ca. 450 Ma. In the upper layer of the lower crust, the most abundant rocks are preexisting garnet-bearing metasedimentary rocks, orthogneiss, and local garnet amphibolite, which experienced medium-pressure amphibolite-facies to granulite-facies metamorphism at depths of 20−30 km at ca. 450 Ma. These metasedimentary rocks and orthogneiss have also experienced partial melting involving mica and rare amphibole at 457−453 Ma. The shallow to mid-crust is primarily composed of diorite-granodiorite batholiths and volcanic cover with multiple origin, which were intruded during 500−450 Ma, recording long-term crustal growth and differentiation episode. As a whole, two episodes of continental crust growth were depicted in the continental arc section on the northern margin of the Qilian Block, including: (a) the first episode is documented in a lithological assemblage composing of coeval mafic-intermediate intrusive and volcanic rocks derived from partial melting of modified lithospheric mantle and subducted oceanic crust during southward subduction of the North Qilian Ocean at 500−480 Ma; (b) the second episode is recorded in mafic rocks derived from partial melting of modified lithospheric mantle during transition from oceanic subduction to initial collision at 460−450 Ma.


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