Journal of Metamorphic Geology

BARNICOAT, A.C.

doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1314.1988.tb00439.xpmid: N/A

Abstract The introduction of externally derived fluids into rocks of the Zermatt–Saas zone of the Swiss Alps gave rise to the simultaneous formation of shear and hydraulic fractures. These fractures are now filled with albite‐rich assemblages and surrounded by alteration halos up to c. 2 m wide. The alteration assemblages are zoned and an examination of reactions in P–T–aH2O space implies that the parageneses developed by the hydration of fluid‐absent eclogites. A mechanical analysis of the veins (after Sibson, 1981) shows that Pfluid/Pload must have been at least 0.96. Fluid migration into the country rocks must have been driven by excess hydraulic head either derived from the vertical extent of the veins or due to their connection to a deeper, external reservoir, possibly tapped along thrust surface(s). Diffusive and capillary transport were insignificant. The fluids may have been derived from underlying metasediments that were dehydrating during the quasi‐isothermal uplift of this part of the Alps, or they may have originated during the prograde mesoalpine metamorphism documented in the area.

KARABINOS, P.; KETCHAM, R.

doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1314.1988.tb00440.xpmid: N/A

Abstract In order to study the thermal structure of active thrust belts, we have developed a numerical model of conductive heat transfer between thrust sheets during deformation. Our finite difference approach alternates small, instantaneous increments of displacement and isotherm translation with conductive relaxation of perturbed isotherms. In each step, conduction occurs for a length of time equal to the displacement increment divided by the thrust velocity. Computer simulations demonstrate that conductive heat transfer is significant during deformation and that temperatures in hanging‐wall rocks decrease while temperatures in foot‐wall rocks increase over distances of up to 10 km from the thrust surface. When the effects of internal heat production are also calculated, heating of foot‐wall rocks exceeds cooling of hanging‐wall rocks. Rocks located between two thrusts may experience a complicated temperature–time path of early heating followed by cooling. These models help to explain the rapid metamorphism of rocks in the Taconian thrust belt in the northern Appalachians of New England soon after deposition of the youngest sediments.

WIJBRANS, J.R.; McDOUGALL, I.

doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1314.1988.tb00441.xpmid: N/A

Abstract 40Ar/39Ar age spectrum analysis of phengite separates from Naxos, part of the Attic Cycladic Metamorphic Belt in Greece, indicates that cooling following high‐pressure, low‐ to medium‐temperature metamorphism, M1, occurred about 50 Ma ago. Phengite has 40Ar* gradients that suggest that part of the scatter observed in conventional K–Ar ages was caused by diffusion of radiogenic argon from the minerals during a younger metamorphism, M2. In central Naxos, this metamorphism (M2) has overprinted the original mineral assemblages completely, and is associated with development of a thermal dome. Excellent 40Ar/39Ar plateaus at 15.0 ± 0.1 Ma, 11.8 ± 0.1 Ma, and 11.4 ± 0.1 Ma, obtained on hornblende, muscovite and biotite, respectively, from the migmatite zone, indicate that relatively rapid cooling followed the M2 event, and that no significant thermal overprinting occurred subsequent to M2. Toward lower M2 metamorphic grade, 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of hornblendes increase to 19.8 ± 0.1 Ma; concomitantly the proportion of excess 40Ar in the spectra increases as well. We propose that the peak of M2 metamorphism occurred beween 15.0 and 19.8 Ma ago. K–Ar ages of biotites from a granodiorite on the west coast are indistinguishable from those found in the metamorphic complex, and hornblende K–Ar ages from the same samples are in the range 12.1–13.6 Ma. As the latter ages are somewhat younger than most ages obtained from the metamorphic complex, intrusion of the granodiorite most likely followed the peak of the M2 metamorphism. The metamorphic evolution of Naxos is consistent with rapid crustal thickening during the Cretaceous or early Tertiary, causing conditions at which supracrustal rocks experienced pressures in the range 900–1500 MPa. Transition to normal crustal thicknesses ended the M1 metamorphism about 50 Ma ago. The M2 metamorphism and granodiorite intrusion occurred during a period of heat input into the crust, possibly related to the migration of the Hellenic volcanic ar°C in a southerly direction through the area.

VERNON, R.H.

doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1314.1988.tb00442.xpmid: N/A

Abstract Mica porphyroblasts in schists from several regions show nearly planar inclusion trails that are parallel over areas much larger than the wavelengths of later folds. This indicates that the porphyroblasts have not rotated, with respect to geographical co‐ordinates, during deformation. Instead, the matrix has rotated, as suggested by Ramsay (1962). Even in zones of marked shortening in the matrix adjacent to large rigid porphyroblasts (e.g. of cordierite or staurolite), small biotite porphyroblasts have not rotated, but have become thinned by solution, as indicated by parallelism of inclusion trails in separate biotite grains and by evidence of truncation of inclusion trails by the matrix foliation. Less common are biotite porphyroblasts that have single asymmetrical microfolds in the matrix adjacent to the porphyroblasts and so appear to have rotated; these porphyroblasts are characterized by kinking.

CURRIE, K.L.; GITTINS, J.

doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1314.1988.tb00443.xpmid: N/A

Abstract Regionally distributed pelitic granulites in the Wilson Lake region contain the assemblage sapphirine + hypersthene + sillimanite + quartz. Geochronology and geobarometry suggest it developed in early Proterozoic rocks at temperatures approaching 900°C and pressures above 10 kbar. Vein‐like metasomatized rocks around a suite of mafic to ultramafic intrusions, emplaced near the peak of metamorphism about 1700 Ma ago, contain sapphirine, but these assemblages developed at temperatures near 750°C and pressures of 4.5 kbar. Both types of assemblage occur as relics in amphibolite‐grade (biotite–sillimanite) migmatites. P–T determinations indicate rapid isothermal uplift of 20 km accompanied by mafic intrusion and hydration. The metamorphic history and tectonic setting suggest exposure of deep continental crust by thrusting during continental collision, followed by essentially isothermal decompression.

BLENKINSOP, T.G.

doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1314.1988.tb00444.xpmid: N/A

Abstract Two major problems which exist in the use of illite crystallinity to define low‐grade metamorphic zones are the variety of values chosen for the zone boundaries and the persistent use of three different indices of crystallinity. Although measurement techniques, which cause much of the interlaboratory variation, can be standardized, it is shown that there is, nevertheless, significant additional variation which demands calibration on standards. The greatest variations are due to choices of different absolute values of crystallinity to define zone boundaries. The problem of relating measurements between different indices is approached by fitting mathematical relationships to pairs of measurements from the same sample. A power–law relationship is a satisfactory fit to the Kubler–Weaver and Weaver–Weber pairs, while the Kubler–Weber indices are linearly related. These relationships are used to transform definitions of the diagenetic zone, anchizone and epizone from one index to the others, although they apply strictly only to the data set from which they are derived. This results in compatibility between the three zones and shows that previous definitions to the anchizone in different indices have been chosen at incompatible values. The boundaries of Kubler's anchizone (0.42 and 0.25 Δ2θ) are 0.4 and 0.215 Δ2θ in this study, which become 5.1 and 14.6 in the Weaver index and 278 and 149 in the Weber index. An error analysis shows that percentage errors in both Kubler and Weaver indices increase with crystallinity; the Kubler measurements are marginally preferred at all grades.