scholarly journals Metamorphism of the Kangâmiut dykes and the metamorphic and structural evolution of the southern Nagssugtoqidian boundary in the Itivdleq – Ikertôq region, West Greenland

1979 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 63-75
Author(s):  
J.A Korstgård

The structural evolution of the Nagssugtoqidian mobile belt is characterised by reworking of pre-existing Archaean rocks. At the southern Nagssugtoqidian boundary swarms of basic dykes, the Kangamiut dykes, intruded after the earliest Nagssugtoqidian movements. These dykes aet as time markers separating tectono-metamorphic events and record degree and extent of post-dyke metamorphism and deformation. The structural and metamorphic evolution at the southern Nagssugtoqidian boundary ean be summarised as follows. The rocks now exposed were stabilised in granulite and amphibolite facies in Archaean times. Uplift brought the rocks under low amphibolite facies conditions. Subsequent deformation (Nag. 1) caused the retrogression to low amphibolite facies and transformed the rocks into strongly schistose rocks along duetile, transcurrent, E-W trending shear zones. The Nag. 1 deformation was followed by intrusion of the mainly NE trending Kangamiut dykes. Later Nagssugtoqidian deformation (Nag. 2) affected country rocks with Nag. 1 fabrics as well as dykes and probably also Archaean gneisses unaffected by Nag. 1 deformation. In areas with intense Nag. 2 movements the deformation was characterised by duetile overthrusting towards the SSE along a linear zone striking ENE. New Nag. 2 fabrics were imposed on the country gneisses and dykes were transformed into strongly deformed amphibolites. The duetile overthrusting brought granulite facies rocks into juxtaposition with amphibolite facies rocks so that across the areas affected by Nag. 2 deformation a prograde metamorphic sequence with facies boundaries parallel to the overthrusting zone was established.

1991 ◽  
Vol 128 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. W. Passchier ◽  
R. F. Bekendam ◽  
J. D. Hoek ◽  
P. G. H. M. Dirks ◽  
H. de Boorder

AbstractThe presence of polyphase shear zones transected by several suites of dolerite dykes in Archaean basement of the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, allows a detailed reconstruction of the local structural evolution. Archaean and early Proterozoic deformation at granulite facies conditions was followed by two phases of dolerite intrusion and mylonite generation in strike-slip zones at amphibolite facies conditions. A subsequent middle Proterozoic phase of brittle normal faulting led to the development of pseudotachylite, predating intrusion of the major swarm of dolerite dykes around 1250 Ma. During the later stages and following this event, pseudotachylite veins were reactivated as ductile, mylonitic thrusts under prograde conditions, culminating in amphibolite facies metamorphism around 1000–1100 Ma. This is possibly part of a large-scale tectonic event during which the Vestfold block was overthrust from the south. In a final phase of strike-slip deformation, several pulses of pseudotachylite-generating brittle faulting alternated with ductile reactivation of pseudotachylite.


1989 ◽  
Vol 146 ◽  
pp. 54-65
Author(s):  
P.R Dawes ◽  
N.J Soper ◽  
J.C Escher ◽  
R.P Hall

The Proterozoic mobile belt of South-East Greenland has been regarded as a classic example of amphibolite facies reworking of an Archaean granulite facies gneiss terrain. Its northern boundary has been interpreted as a transcurrent shear zone in which reworking was associated with major basic dyke emplacement. A re-examination of the northern boundary shows it to be a diffuse region more than 50 km wide in which retrogression, unrelated to dykes or shear zones, gradually intensifies southwards. Superimposed on this are discrete belts of retrogression associated with dykes and shear zones. The sense of displacement on the latter is compatible with thrusting of the northern Archaean block southwards over the reworked terrain of the mobile belt.


1982 ◽  
Vol 110 ◽  
pp. 55-57
Author(s):  
A.A Garde ◽  
V.R McGregor

Previous geological work on the 1:100000 map sheet 64 V.l N (fig. 15) includes published maps of smaller areas by Berthelsen (1960, 1962) and Lauerma (1964), mapping by Kryolitselskabet Øresund A/S (Bridgwater et al., 1976) and mapping by GGU geologists for the 1:500000 map sheet Frederikshåb Isblink - Søndre Strømfjord (Allaart et al., 1977, 1978). The Amltsoq and Niik gneisses and Malene supracrustal rock units south and east of Godthåbsfjord have not so far been correlated with rocks in the Fiskefjord area. Godthåbsfjord separates the granulite facies gneisses in Nordlandet from amphibolite facies Nûk gneisses on Sadelø and Bjørneøen; the granulite facies metamorphism occurred at about 2850 m.y. (Black et al., 1973), while no published isotopic age determinations from the Fiskefjord area itself are available.


1979 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 9-18
Author(s):  
D Bridgwater ◽  
J.S Myers

The Nagssugtoqidian mobile belt is a 240 km wide zone of deformation and plutonic activity which cuts across the Archaean craton of East Greenland. The belt was established 2600 m.y. ago by the formation of vertical E-W shear zones and the syntectonic intrusion of basic dykes. Tectonic activity along the E-W shear zones was followed by the emplacement of tonalitic intrusions, the Blokken gneisses, 2350 m.y. ago in the central parts of the mobile belt. The emplacement of the Blokken gneisses was accompanied and followed by further emplacement of basic dykes. These are synplutonic in the centre of the mobile belt but are emplaced into more rigid crust in the marginal areas of the belt and in the Archaean craton to the north and south. During a second major tectonic and thermal episode circa 1900 m.y. ago, the region was deformed by thrusting from the north. In the southem part of the mobile belt the earlier steep shear zones are cut by shear zones dipping gently northwards in which rocks are downgraded to greenschist facies. The grade of metamorphism increases northwards and shear zones are replaced by open folds with axial surfaces which dip gently northwards. The increasing ductility in the centre of and northem part of the belt is associated with the intrusion of charnockitic plutons and their granulite facies aureoles. Regional uplift occurred before the intrusion of high level post-tectonic plutons of diorite and granite 1550 m.y. ago.


2000 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. KRABBENDAM ◽  
A. WAIN ◽  
T. B. ANDERSEN

The Western Gneiss Region of Norway is a continental terrane that experienced Caledonian high-pressure and ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism. Most rocks in this terrane show either peak-Caledonian eclogite-facies assemblages or are highly strained and equilibrated under late-Caledonian amphibolite-facies conditions. However, three kilometre-size rock bodies (Flatraket, Ulvesund and Kråkenes) in Outer Nordfjord preserve Pre-Caledonian igneous and granulite-facies assemblages and structures. Where these assemblages are preserved, the rocks are consistently unaffected by Caledonian deformation. The three bodies experienced high-pressure conditions (20–23 kbar) but show only very localized (about 5%) eclogitization in felsic and mafic rocks, commonly related to shear zones. The preservation of Pre-Caledonian felsic and mafic igneous and granulite-facies assemblages in these bodies, therefore, indicates widespread (∼ 95%) metastability at pressures higher than other metastable domains in Norway. Late-Caledonian amphibolite-facies retrogression was limited. The degree of reaction is related to the protolith composition and the interaction of fluid and deformation during the orogenic cycle, whereby metastability is associated with a lack of deformation and lack of fluids, either as a catalyst or as a component in hydration reactions. The three bodies appear to have been far less reactive than the external gneisses in this region, even though they followed a similar pressure–temperature evolution. The extent of metastable behaviour has implications for the protolith of the Western Gneiss Region, for the density evolution of high-pressure terranes and hence for the geodynamic evolution of mountain belts.


1962 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 1-46
Author(s):  
A Berthelsen

This paper summarises several summers field work within the southern Sukkertoppen district. Since detailed mapping has only been carried out within smaller areas within the region, the remainder being covered by reconnaissance mapping along the coasts, the results should be considered as preliminary. The southern Sukkertoppen district can be divided into three tectonic units, the Nordland, the Finnefjeld, and the Alángua complexes, which, most probably, were formed during the Ketilidian cycle (E. Wegmann, 1938). The metamorphic complexes are traversed by postorogenic dykes and faults (Berthelsen and Bridgwater, 1960). The dykes and faults were seemingly formed before the Nagssugtôqidian revolution which affected the country further to the north (Ramberg, 1948). The northern Nordland complex is shown to have passed through a metamorphic and structural evolution very similar to that which recently has been described from a small area within the complex (see table 2). An original granulite facies rock assemblage has been exposed to two successive imprints of retrograde metamorphism: first an amphibolite facies metamorphism; next a postorogenic epidote-amphibolite to greenschist facies metamorphism in connection with the formation of the younger faults. Evidence is brought forward that the tectonic phases established from Tovqussap nunâ may also be traced within the remaining parts of the Nordland complex. In one case (see fig. 3) an analysis of the basement structures reveals that the post-orogenic faulting is of the wrench fault type. The Finnefjeld complex which is built up of homogeneous hornblende-biotite-bearing quartz-dioritic gneisses is believed to have been originally composed of granulite facies rocks. Subsequent strong penetrative movements accompanied by low grade amphibolite facies metamorphism were responsible for the formation of the present Finnefjeld gneisses. This idea is strongly supported by the facts that relic patches of hypersthene gneiss and transgressive, but deformed, more or less uralitised diorite bodies occur within the Finnefjeld gneiss. The Alangua complex comprises abundant pelitic and semipelitic schists, amphibolites, ultrabasics and skarn rocks in addition to gneisses which are considered to be of metasomatic origin. The ultrabasic rocks have been described by H. Sørensen (1952,1953, 1954, and 1955). The rocks of this complex can also be shown to have passed through two periods of metamorphism (see also H. Sørensen, 1952); an original medium to high grade amphibolite facies metamorphism was succeeded by a later low grade amphibolite facies metamorphism accompanied by granitisation, pegmatisation etc., indicating the presence of a volatile-rich dispersed phase. Although not studied in detail, the structures of the Alángua complex are sufficiently well-known to establish the kinematic evolution of this complex. The first amphibolite facies metamorphism seems to correspond to the Smalledal-Pâkitsoq phases of the Nordland complex, while the subsequent period of low grade amphibolite metamorphism can be matched with the posthumous phase. During this latter, the northern part of the Nordland complex, which locally was thrust over the Alángua rocks (thereby causing their refolding) was converted into the present Finnefjeld gneisses. This interpretation explains the present differences between the three com· plexes as being due to Stockwerk tectonics, fig. 16. An alternative theory which holds that the Alángua rocks are younger than those of the southern complexes does not seem to concur with the field relation known so far. No mineral deposits of economic interest were found during the survey, but traces of sulfides (see tables 1 and 3), magnetite, molybdenite, corundum, monazite, zircon, talc and soapstone have been met with at various localities.


1989 ◽  
Vol 146 ◽  
pp. 5-12
Author(s):  
B Chadwick ◽  
P.R Dawes ◽  
J.C Escher ◽  
C.R.L Friend ◽  
R.P Hall ◽  
...  

The Ammassalik mobile belt is characterised by a regional layer cake structure of tectonically interleaved sheets of quartzo-feldspathic orthogneisses and supracrustal rocks. The sheets of supracrustal rocks are most abundant in the north of the belt and they include semi-pelitic kyanite-sillimanite gneisses, graphitic schists, marble, amphibolites and local peridotite. The sheets are regarded as parts of a disrupted supracrustal sequence, here termed the Siportoq supracrustal association. Preliminary isotopic age data suggest that most of the orthogneisses are late Archaean, although some have early Proterozoic ages. The Siportoq supracrustal association has yielded an early Proterozoic age. Amphibolite dyke swarms were emplaced at various stages in the evolution of the mobile belt. The Ammassalik belt has an ill-defined northern limit marked by heterogeneous retrogression of a granulite facies terrain up to 100 km wide. Most of the belt is at amphibolite facies, with its southern limit lying to the south of the area considered here. The structure in the south is dominated by nappes and shear zones dipping NE within a wide tract of late Archaean orthogneisses intruded by amphibolite dyke swarms with relatively well preserved primary characteristics. The structure in the north is characterised by more pervasive deformation which gave rise to complex sequences of thrusting and nappe development propagating from the north. Large domes were superimposed on the nappe pile, perhaps as buoyancy phenomena. The dioritic Ammassalik Intrusive Complex (c. 1885 Ma) with its granulite facies assemblages is regarded as a late kinematic phenomenon. Major post-tectonic complexes of granite, diorite and gabbro (c. 1580 Ma) were intruded at a high level well after the close of the tectonism in the Ammassalik mobile belt.


1975 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
P.R James

Mapping at a scale of 1:50 000 was carried out on the gneisses and supracrustals of Bjørneøen and the granulites of the adjacent east coast of Nordlandet; the area has previously been described by Noe-Nygaard & Ramberg (1961) and Bridgwater & McGregor (1974). During the present study special emphasis was placed on the structural relationships of the various rock units and also on the relationship and contact between the amphibolite facies and granulite facies areas. A short excursion was made at the beginning of the field season around Godthåbsfjord and Arneralik with the helpful guidance of V. R. McGregor whose kind assistance is especially acknowledged.


1993 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Sheraton ◽  
Robert J. Tingey ◽  
Lance P. Black ◽  
Robin L. Oliver

The Bunger Hills area of the East Antarctic Shield consists of granulite-facies felsic orthogneiss, with subordinate paragneiss and mafic granulite. The igneous precursors of granodioritic orthogneiss were emplaced 1500-1700 Ma ago, and late Archaean (2640 Ma) tonalitic orthogneiss occurs in the nearby Obruchev Hills. Peak metamorphism (M1) (at about 750-800°C and 5-6kb) occurred 1190 ±15 Ma ago (U-Pb zircon age), and was accompanied by the first of three ductile deformations (D1). Emplacement of voluminous, mainly mantle-derived plutonic rocks, ranging from gabbro, through quartz monzogabbro and quartz monzodiorite, to granite, followed between 1170 (during D3) and 1150 Ma. Intrusion of abundant dolerite dykes of four chemically distinct suites at about 1140 Ma was associated with shear zone formation, indicating at least limited uplift; all subsequent deformation was of brittle-ductile type. Alkaline mafic dykes were emplaced 500 Ma ago. Marked geochronological similarities with the Albany Mobile Belt of Western Australia suggest that high-grade metamorphism occurred during collision between the Archaean Yilgarn Craton of Australia and the East Antarctic Shield about 1200 Ma ago.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1799-1861 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kovaleva ◽  
U. Klötzli ◽  
G. Habler ◽  
E. Libowitzky

Abstract. This study examines finite deformation patterns of zircon grains from high-temperature natural shear zones. Various zircon-bearing rocks were collected in the Western Tauern Window, Eastern Alps, where they were deformed under amphibolite facies conditions, and in the Ivrea-Verbano Zone (IVZ), Southern Alps, where deformation is related with granulite-facies metamorphism. Among the sampled rocks are: granitic orthogneisses, meta-lamprophyres and paragneisses, all of which are highly deformed. The investigated zircon grains ranging from 10 to 50 microns were studied in situ using a combination of scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques, including secondary electron (SE), backscattered electron (BSE), forward scattered electron (FSE), cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging, and crystallographic orientation mapping by electron backscatter diffraction analysis (EBSD), as well as micro-Raman spectroscopy. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) was applied to host phases. Microstructural analysis of crystal-plastically deformed zircon grains was based on high-resolution EBSD maps. Three general types of finite lattice distortion patterns were detected: Type (I) is defined by gradual bending of the zircon lattice with orientation changes of about 0.6° to 1.4° per μm without subgrain boundary formation. Type (II) represents local gradual bending of the crystal lattice coupled with the formation of subgrain boundaries that have concentric semicircular shapes in 2-D sections. Cumulative grain-internal orientation variations range from 7° to 40° within single grains. Type (III) is characterized by formation of subgrains separated by a well-defined subgrain boundary network, where subgrain boundaries show a characteristic angular closed contour in 2-D sections. The cumulative orientation variation within a single grain ranges from 3° to 10°. Types (I) and (II) predominate in granulite facies rocks, whereas type (III) is restricted to the amphibolite facies rocks. Investigated microstructures demonstrate that misorientation axes are usually parallel to the ⟨ 001 ⟩ and ⟨ 100 ⟩ crystallographic directions; dominant slip systems operating along tilt boundaries are ⟨ 010 ⟩{001}, ⟨ 010 ⟩{100} and ⟨ 001 ⟩{010}. In case of twist boundaries the slip systems ⟨ 010 ⟩{001} and ⟨ 100 ⟩ {001} are active, whereas in some grains cross-slip takes place. This study demonstrates that activation of energetically preferable slip systems is mostly controlled by the degree of coupling with the host phase and by the viscosity ratio between inclusion and host, and defined by crystallographic and elastic anisotropy of the zircon lattice.


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