Chapter 13 Siliciclastic sedimentation in a foreland basin to the Sveconorwegian orogen and dolerites (0.98–0.95 Ga) related to intracratonic rifting

Sub-ophitic, equigranular or plagioclase-phyric dolerite dykes, referred to as the Blekinge–Dalarna dolerite (BDD) swarm, were emplaced during the time span 0.98–0.95 Ga and trend NNE–NNW in an arcuate fashion, parallel to and east of the Sveconorwegian orogen. Dolerite sills are locally present. These rocks are subalkaline to alkaline with a monzogabbroic or gabbroic composition and show a predominantly within-plate tectonic affinity. ɛNd and ɛHf values fall in the range −2 to +4 and +1 to +5, respectively. Siliciclastic sedimentary rocks (Almesåkra Group) in a small outlier in southern Sweden were deposited in an aeolian to fluviatile or lacustrine environment and an arid or semi-arid warm palaeoclimate, coevally with the dolerite sills. Smaller occurrences of sandstone with peperitic field relationships to the BDD dykes are known from other localities. The spatial distribution, orientation and age of the BDD magmatic suite suggest roughly east–west extension in the eastern, cratonic foreland to the Sveconorwegian orogen during the latest phase of this mountain-building event, the age data tentatively suggesting a younging to the east. The siliciclastic sedimentary rocks represent an erosional relict of a larger and spatially much more extensive early Tonian foreland basin to this orogen, as proposed earlier on the basis of fission-track thermochronology.