scholarly journals Tectonothermal evolution in the core of an arcuate fold and thrust belt: the south-eastern sector of the Cantabrian Zone (Variscan belt, north-western Spain)

Solid Earth ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1003-1022 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Luz Valín ◽  
Susana García-López ◽  
Covadonga Brime ◽  
Fernando Bastida ◽  
Jesús Aller

Abstract. The tectonothermal evolution of an area located in the core of the Ibero-Armorican Arc (Variscan belt) has been determined by using the conodont colour alteration index (CAI), Kübler index of illite (KI), the Árkai index of chlorite (AI) and the analysis of clay minerals and rock cleavage. The area is part of the Cantabrian Zone (CZ), which represents the foreland fold and thrust belt of the orogen. It has been thrust by several large units of the CZ, what resulted in the generation of a large number of synorogenic Carboniferous sediments. CAI, KI and AI values show an irregular distribution of metamorphic grade, independent of stratigraphic position. Two tectonothermal events have been distinguished in the area. The first one, poorly defined, is mainly located in the northern part. It gave rise to very-low-grade metamorphism in some areas and it was associated with a deformation event that resulted in the emplacement of the last large thrust unit and development of upright folds and associated cleavage (S1). The second tectonothermal event gave rise to low-grade metamorphism and cleavage (S2) crosscutting earlier upright folds in the central, western and southern parts of the study area. The event continued with the intrusion of small igneous rock bodies, which gave rise to contact metamorphism and hydrothermal alteration. This event was linked to an extensional episode due to a gravitational instability at the end of the Variscan deformation. This tectonothermal evolution occurred during the Gzhelian–Sakmarian. Subsequently, several hydrothermal episodes took place and local crenulation cleavage developed during the Alpine deformation.

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Valín ◽  
S. García-López ◽  
C. Brime ◽  
F. Bastida ◽  
J. Aller

Abstract. Abstract. The tectonothermal evolution of an area located in the core of the Ibero-Armorican arc (Variscan belt) has been determined by using the conodont color alteration index (CAI), Kübler index of illite (KI), the Árkai index of chlorite (AI), and the analysis of clay minerals and rock cleavage. The area is part of the Cantabrian Zone (CZ), which represents the foreland fold and thrust belt of the orogen. It has been thrust by several large units of the CZ, what resulted in the generation of a large amount of synorogenic Carboniferous sediments. CAI, KI and AI values show an irregular distribution of metamorphic grade, independent of stratigraphic position. Two tectonothermal events have been distinguished in the area. The first one, poorly defined, is mainly located in the northern part. It gave rise to very low-grade metamorphism in some areas and it was associated with a deformation event that resulted in the emplacement of the last large thrust unit and development of upright folds and associated cleavage (S1).The second tectonothermal event gave rise to low-grade metamorphism and cleavage (S2) crosscutting earlier upright folds in the central, western and southern parts of the study area. The event continued with the intrusion of small igneous rock bodies, which gave rise to contact metamorphism and hydrothermal alteration. The second event was linked to an extensional episode due to a gravitational instability at the end of the Variscan deformation. This tectonothermal evolution occurred during the Gzhelian-Sakmarian. Subsequently, several hydrothermal episodes took place, in association with local development of crenulation cleavage during the Alpine deformation.


Terra Nova ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 469-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana García-López ◽  
Covadonga Brime ◽  
M. Luz Valín ◽  
Javier Sanz-López ◽  
Fernando Bastida ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Alexandre Uhlein ◽  
Marco Antônio Fonseca ◽  
Hildor José Seer ◽  
Marcel Auguste Dardenne

A Faixa neoproterozóica de dobramentos e empurrões Brasília é uma das unidades tectônicas do Brasil Central. Uma análiseestrutural e tectônica da Faixa Brasília é aqui apresentada, com dois domínios estruturais: (1) interno, com unidades alóctones, foliação Spsubhorizontal ou suavemente dobrada e médio a alto grau de metamorfismo. (2) domínio externo, com estrutura de dobras e empurrões,predomínio de foliação Sp e médio a baixo grau de metamorfismo. A leste da Faixa Brasília ocorre o domínio cratônico (Craton do São Francisco), com unidades autóctones, suavemente dobradas. A vergência das dobras e empurrões é, geralmente, para o Cráton do SãoFrancisco. O encurtamento na cobertura é balanceado por zonas de cisalhamento, amplas dobras, falhas de empurrão e inversas e falhastranscorrentes. O estilo da deformação varia com o nível crustal. Assim, no domínio externo da faixa, predomina um estilo thin-skinned,enquanto que no domínio interno, aparecem zonas de deformação dúcteis mais intensas e largas, com metamorfismo mais alto (estilothick-skinned). O segmento sul da Faixa Brasília está mais deformado e provavelmente representa o resultado de uma colisão diacrônica,mais antiga, em relação ao setor setentrional. A mega inflexão dos Pirineus e a zona de superposição pode ser o resultado da interferênciaentre duas faixas neoproterozóicas distintas, com transporte tectônico local de Norte para o Sul.Palavras chave: Faixa móvel neoproterozóica Brasília; estilo nstrutural; evolução geodinâmica. ABSTRACTTECTONICS OF THE BRASÍLIA FOLD BELT: THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN PARTS - The Neoproterozoic (ca. 650-580) Ma Brasíliafold-and-thrust-belt is a major tectonic unit in Central Brazil and can be divided into two structural domains (internal and external). In theinternal domain, most surface rocks consist of allochthonous units in a higher metamorphic grade displaying low dipping cleavage,asymmetrical folds and thrusts with significant stratigraphic repetition. The external domain is a typical foreland fold-and-thrust belt wheremedium to low grade metamorphic rocks prevail and present steeply dipping cleavage Sp. Towards the cratonic area (cratonic domain),most lithostratigraphic units are authoctonous with vertical open folds and slaty cleavage. The general vergence of folds and thrust faults inboth domains is towards the east (São Francisco Craton). Shortening of cover across the fold belt is almost always balanced by coverbasementdetachments, fold-and-thrust structures and also by NE or NW trending wrench faults. The style of deformation variesconsiderably across strike due to crustal level. Typical thin-skinned fault-fold morphology in external domain gives rise downwards to morepervasive wide zones of ductile deformation at high metamorphic grades (thick-skinned structures) in the internal domain. The Southernpart of the Brasilia belt has a more complex deformational history than the northern one. This is probably due to structural overprintcaused by a diachronic collision. The Pirineus Inflection, where local vergence is towards the South, may represent the interference zonebetween the the two parts.Keywords: Neoproterozoic Brasília fold-and-thrust belt; structural style; Geodinamic evolution.


Clay Minerals ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Belmar ◽  
D. Morata ◽  
F. Munizaga ◽  
C. Pérez de Arce ◽  
S. Morales ◽  
...  

AbstractK-Ar isotopic dating of very low-grade metamorphism affecting Triassic-Jurassic rocks in the Coastal Range of central Chile was carried out on whole rocks and their <2 mm size fractions. In the study area, a regional-burial low-grade metamorphism at anchizone conditions (T≤190°C) and low-pressure conditions (P≥1.3 kbar) has been described. The highest observed temperatures are related to a contact metamorphism produced by nearby Jurassic intrusions, with aP-Testimate at the immediate contact zone of ~650–690°C and 4 kbar.The whole-rock K-Ar age of 174±5 Ma is interpreted as belonging to the contact metamorphism due to the intrusion of Jurassic plutons (165±5 Ma to 175±5 Ma). A time-interval of ~20 Ma between the diagenesis (206 Ma) and the anchizonal very low-grade metamorphism (181–184 Ma) is obtained, and a rate of subsidence of ~120 m/Ma is proposed for these Triassic-Jurassic basins. A thermal influence on the burial, very low-grade, regional metamorphism is invoked.


2008 ◽  
Vol 145 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
GUSTAVO G. VOLDMAN ◽  
GUILLERMO L. ALBANESI ◽  
MARGARITA DO CAMPO

AbstractThe Yerba Loca Formation (Middle–Upper Ordovician), exposed in the Western Precordillera, San Juan, Argentina, is made up of clastic–carbonate turbidites, and basic–ultrabasic rocks. It is affected by regional Siluro-Devonian very low-grade metamorphism that locally reaches greenschist facies. At Ancaucha creek, 45 conodont samples were taken from two sections that include 30 to 50 m thick sills. In order to analyse the thermal alteration patterns produced by these intrusive bodies, conodont Colour Alteration Index (CAI) is contrasted with optical petrography and X-ray diffraction analyses of clay minerals. The intrusions are dated as post-Darriwilian (Da2), as determined by conodont biostratigraphy of the host rock, which indicates theParoistodus horridusSubzone of theLenodus variabilisZone. The distribution of CAI values defines a thermal aureole of about 2.5 times intrusion thickness that prevailed over the later very low-grade metamorphism. Metasomatism at Ancaucha creek is recorded by CAI values of 4 to 7, particularly restricted to a few layers close to the intrusions, as indicated by conodont textures and rock fabric. One-dimensional thermal computer simulation conforms to empirical data indicating temperatures greater than 600 °C for the contact zone, although it points out slightly narrower thermal aureoles. The clay mineral assemblage of most of the analysed samples (chlorite, illite, smectite and I/S mixed-layers) is complex and probably derives from several superimposed processes, thus representing non-equilibrium assemblages. In turn, KI values (0.27–0.32) indicate anchizone metamorphism, in agreement with regional CAI values of 4; consequently, the occurrence of smectite and I/S probably resulted from retrograde diagenesis processes.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard Grasemann ◽  
David A. Schneider ◽  
Konstantinos Soukis ◽  
Vincent Roche

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Tearing in the Hellenic slab below the transition between the Aegean and Anatolian plate is considered to have significantly affected Miocene tectonic and magmatic evolution of the eastern Mediterranean by causing a toroidal flow of asthenosphere and a lateral gradient of extension in the upper plate. Some studies suggest that this lateral gradient is accommodated by a distributed sinistral lithospheric-scale shear zone whereas other studies favor a localized NE-SW striking transfer zone. Recent studies in the northern Dodecanese demonstrate that the transition zone between the Aegean and Anatolian plate is characterized by Miocene extension with a constant NNE-SSW sense of shear accommodating the difference in finite extension rates in the middle-lower crust. Neither localized or distributed strike-slip faults nor rotation of blocks about a vertical axis have been observed.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;In this work we focus on the geology Kalymnos located in the central Dodecanese. Based on our new geological map, three major tectonic units can be distinguished: (i) Low-grade, fossil-rich late Paleozoic marbles, which have been deformed into S-vergent folds and out-of-sequence thrusts. This fold-and-thrust belt is sealed by an up to 200 m thick wildflysch-type deposit consisting of low-grade metamorphic radiolarites and conglomerates with tens of meters-scale marbles and ultramafics blocks. (ii) Above this unit, amphibolite facies schists, quartzites and amphibolites are tectonically juxtaposed along a several meter-thick thrust fault with low-grade ultramylonites and cohesive ultracataclasites/pseudotachylites with top-to-N kinematics. (iii) At highest structural levels, a major cataclastic low-angle normal fault zone localized in Verrucano-type violet slates separates Mesozoic unmetamorphosed limestones in the hanging wall. The sense of shear of the normal fault is top-to-SSW. All units are cut by brittle high-angle normal faults shaping the geomorphology of Kalymnos, which is characterized by three major NNW-SSE trending graben systems.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;New white mica Ar-Ar ages suggests that the middle units represent relics of a Variscan basement, which was thrusted on top of a fold-and-thrust belt during an Eo-Cimmerian event. Zircon (U-Th)/He ages from the Variscan basement are c. 28 Ma, indicating that the lower units were exhumed below the Mesozoic carbonates during the Oligocene-Miocene. Since Miocene extension in the northern Dodecanese records top-to-NNE kinematics, we suggest that back-arc extension in the whole Aegean realm and transition to the Anatolian plate is bivergent, and tearing in the Hellenic slab did not significantly affected the extension pattern in the upper crust.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;


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