Ultrahigh-temperature granulite-facies metamorphism and exhumation of deep crust in a migmatite dome during late- to post- orogenic collapse and extension in the central Adirondack Highlands (New York, USA)

This study combines field observations, mineral and whole-rock geochemistry, phase equilibrium modeling, and U-Pb sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) zircon geochronology to investigate sillimanite-bearing felsic migmatites exposed on Ledge Mountain in the central Adirondack Highlands (New York, USA), part of an extensive belt of mid-crustal rocks comprising the hinterland of the Mesoproterozoic Grenville orogen. Phase equilibrium modeling suggests minimum peak metamorphic conditions of 960–1025 °C and 11–12.5 kbar during the Ottawan orogeny—significantly higher pressure-temperature conditions than previously determined—followed by a period of near-isothermal decompression, then isobaric cooling. Petrography reveals abundant melt-related microstructures, and pseudosection models show the presence of at least ~15%–30% melt during buoyancy-driven exhumation and decompression. New zircon data document late Ottawan (re)crystallization at ca. 1047 ± 5 to 1035 ± 2 Ma following ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) metamorphism and anatexis on the retrograde cooling path. Inherited zircon cores give a mean date of 1136 ± 5 Ma, which suggests derivation of these felsic granulites by partial melting of older igneous rocks. The ferroan, anhydrous character of the granulites is similar to that of the ca. 1050 Ma Lyon Mountain Granite and consistent with origin in a late- to post-Ottawan extensional environment. We present a model for development of a late Ottawan migmatitic gneiss dome in the central Adirondacks that exhumed deep crustal rocks including the Snowy Mountain and Oregon anorthosite massifs with UHT Ledge Mountain migmatites. Recognition of deep crustal meta-plutonic rocks recording UHT metamorphism in a migmatite gneiss dome has significant implications for crustal behavior in this formerly thickened orogen.

Variscan intracrustal recycling by melting of Carboniferous arc-like igneous protoliths (Évora Massif, Iberian Variscan belt)

Bulk rock geochemistry and sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe zircon geochronology of igneous and metaigneous rocks of the Évora gneiss dome, located to the north of the reworked Rheic Ocean suture zone in the southwest Iberian Variscan belt, reveal a succession of magmatic and melting events lasting ∼30 m.y. between ca. 341−314 Ma. The study of detailed field relationships of orthomigmatites (i.e., migmatites from igneous protoliths) and host granitic rocks proved to be crucial to reconstruct the complex sequence of tectono-thermal events of the Évora gneiss dome. The older igneous protoliths, with marked geochemical arc-like signatures, are represented by 338 ± 3 Ma tonalites and 336 ± 3 Ma diorites. These tonalites and diorites appear as mesosomes of igneous orthomigmatites containing new melts (leucosomes) of monzogranite composition and silica-poor trondhjemites formed in a melting episode at 329 ± 4/6 to 327 ± 3 Ma. The absence of peritectic phases (e.g., pyroxene), together with shearing associated with migmatization, imply the existence of water-rich fluids during melting of the older igneous rocks of the Évora gneiss dome. This melting event is coeval with the second magmatic event of the Évora gneiss dome represented by the neighboring Pavia pluton. A porphyritic monzogranite dated at 314 ± 4 Ma defines a later magmatic event. The porphyritic monzogranite encloses large blocks of the orthomigmatites and contains magmatic mafic enclaves (autoliths) dated at 337 ± 4 Ma that are ∼23 m.y. older than the host rock. All studied rocks of the Évora gneiss dome show arc-like, calc-alkaline geochemical signatures. Our results support recycling of intermediate-mafic plutonic rocks, representing the root of an early magmatic arc that formed at the time of Gondwana-Laurussia convergence (after the closure of the Rheic Ocean) and coeval subduction of the Paleotethys. A geodynamic model involving ridge subduction is proposed to explain the Early Carboniferous intra-orogenic crustal extension, dome formation, exhumation of high-grade rocks, compositional variations of magmatism and formation of new granitic magmatism in which, arc-like signatures were inherited from the crustal source.

Inhomogeneities of the earth’s crust of the Aldan-Stanovoy shield along the 3-DV profile (Eastern Siberia, Russia

Profile 3-DV (Skovorodino-Tommot) crosses in the sublatitudinal direction the Stanovoy and Aldan megablocks of the Aldan-Stanovoy shield. As the basic elements of the Earth’s crust section along the profile 3-DV, a technique was adopted for identifying regional inhomogeneities of the lithosphere based on the results of the analysis of seismic and gravimetric data with subsequent typification of their nature. According to the SRM-CMP data, in the upper part of the section (up to 35 km) of the Aldan megablock, the Yakokut and Chulman heterogeneities are distinguished, and the Stanovoy megablock — the Kalara-Dzhugdzhur heterogeneity. The Yakokut and Chulman seismic inhomogeneities in the gravitational field correspond to minima with an the amplitude of up to 25 mGal. The gravitational field of the Kalara-Dzhugdzhur heterogeneity is mosaic and reflects its block structure. It is shown that the deep structure of the Aldan megablock in the area of the 3-DV profile is determined by the Yakokut granite-gneiss dome and Chulman sublateral decompaction zone, and the upper part (0—25 km) of the Stanovoy megablock is represented by the Kalar-Dzhugdzhur structure, composed of the Stanovoy complex of rocks and blocks of highpressure granulites. A significant (up to 10 km) increase in the thickness of the earth’s crust of the Aldan megablock is explained by the presence of the upper layer juvenile crust formed in the Paleoproterozoic as a result of regional metamorphism of igneous rocks. The Earth’s crust of the Stanovoy megablock is tectonically rebuilt for almost the entire thickness of up to 40 km during the Mesozoic collision of the Precambrian North Asian and Sino-Korean cratons. The Yakokut granite-gneiss dome, in accordance with the proposed model of the structure of the Earth’s crust of the Aldan megablock, is the ore-controlling structure of the Central Aldan gold-bearing region, and highpressure granulites of the Zverevsky block of the Kalara-Dzhugdzhur heterogeneity of the Stanovoy megablock served as a source of gold in the Chako-Berkakit ore cluster.

Structural Evolution of Extended Continental Crust Deciphered From the Cretaceous Batholith in SE China, a Kinmen Island Perspective

<p>The continental crust of southeast Asia underwent from thickening, thinning to almost rifting during the Mesozoic era as the active continental margin transformed into a passive one. Such crustal thinning history is well-preserved in the Kinmen Island, as the lower crustal granitoids retrograded and rapidly exhumed to surface that were crosscutted by mafic dike swarm. Kinmen Island is situated on the SE coast of Asia, featured by the widespread Cretaceous magmatism as the Paleo-Pacific plate subducted and rollbacked underneath the South China block. Although these complex magmatism are well reported and studied, their associated structural evolution and plate kinematics have not been clearly deciphered. Detailed field mapping, structural measurement, and petrographic analysis of the Kinmen Island were conducted. Up to five deformation events accompanied with five relevant magmatic episodes as well as their corresponding kinematic setting are reconstructed. The ∼129 Ma Chenggong Tonalite (G<sub>1</sub>) preserved all deformation events identified in this study, which marks the lower bound timing of all reported events. D<sub>1</sub> formed a gneiss dome with the Taiwushan Granite (∼139 Ma) at the core bounded by moderately dipping gneissic foliation (S<sub>1</sub>) as crust extended. D<sub>2</sub> formed subhorizontal S-tectonite (S<sub>2</sub>) with further exhumation of D<sub>1</sub> gneiss dome due to middle-to-lower crustal flow associated with further crustal thinning. D<sub>3</sub> formed a sinistral ENE-WSW striking steeply S dipping shear belts with well-developed S/C/C’ fabrics. The moderately E-plunging lineation on C surface indicates its transtensional nature. Widespread garnet-bearing leucogranite (G<sub>2</sub>) associated with decompressional melting showed long lasting intrusion prior to D<sub>2</sub> until post D<sub>3</sub>. D<sub>4</sub> was the intrusion of biotite-bearing Tienpu Granite (∼100 Ma; G<sub>3</sub>) that truncated G<sub>1</sub>, G<sub>2</sub>, and all fabrics, which was followed by the intrusion of E-W striking, steeply dipping biotite-bearing pegmatite (G<sub>4</sub>) as the crust further extended. The youngest deformation event (D<sub>5</sub>) was NE-SW striking subvertical mafic dike swarm (G<sub>5</sub>; 90–76 Ma) due to mantle upwelling through significantly thinned crust. By integrating the structural evolution and the previously reported strain pattern, we delineate the slab rollback direction of the Paleo-Pacific plate, which changed from northeastward (129∼114 Ma) to southeastward (107∼76 Ma). This plate kinematic movement switched during 114–107 Ma.</p>