山西南部中条山古元古代花岗质片麻岩 白云母40Ar/39Ar测年及其地质意义

中条山前寒武纪岩石是洞悉华北克拉通前寒武纪基底构造演化的重要窗口之一,该区的前寒武纪岩系主要由涑水杂岩、绛县群、中条群、担山石群,以及西阳河群和汝阳群组成.本文以中条山地区涑水杂岩中古元古代花岗质片麻岩为研究对象,挑选其中的变形变质白云母进行激光40Ar/39Ar和常规40Ar/39Ar测年分析.激光40Ar/39Ar法获得的白云母等时年龄1830Ma±20Ma为白云母氩封闭温度年龄的最小估计,常规40Ar/39Ar法给出的白云母坪年龄1852Ma±11Ma为白云母氩封闭温度年龄的最佳估计.白云母1852Ma± 11Ma与先前获得的独居石电子探针U-Th-Pb主峰值年龄相近,并且与华北克拉通中部带的变质年龄一致,表明中条山地区涑水杂岩中古元古代花岗质片麻岩记录了古元古代晚期的一次变质作用事件.这一事件与华北克拉通中部怀安-吕梁-恒山-五台-赞皇等地的变质变形作用同时发生,揭示华北克拉通东、西部陆块沿中部带的碰撞拼合应发生在古元古代晚期,而非新太古代.     

东秦岭鮸鱼咀韧性剪切带构造变形特征及其年代学约束

东秦岭鮸鱼咀韧性剪切带是秦岭造山带晚古生代构造带武关杂岩和刘岭群的分界线,其变形作用的研究对揭示秦岭造山带晚古生代的构造演化具有重要意义.本文对这条剪切带进行了详细的几何学、运动学、锆石U-Pb和白云母40Ar/39Ar年代学研究.几何学和运动学指示鮸鱼咀韧性剪切带经历了两期主要的构造变形:早期由北向南的逆冲推覆变形和晚期左行走滑剪切变形.锆石U-Pb年代学研究表明构成剪切带主体的长英质糜棱岩中碎屑锆石主要的峰值年龄为448 Ma,最年轻的峰值年龄为390 Ma,其碎屑物质来源为北秦岭构造带,因此其原岩应该为一套沉积岩.眼球状白云母40Ar/39Ar同位素测年获得的坪年龄为(263±2)Ma.结合前人的变质变形年代学数据,认为早期的逆冲推覆与石炭纪大洋俯冲有关,晚期左行走滑是秦岭造山带晚二叠世"软碰撞"的构造响应.     

赞皇变质窍隆黑云母^40Ar／^39Ar年代学研究及其对构造热事件的约束

太行山南段赞皇变质杂岩中黑云母给出了1827～1793Ma的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar坪年龄,代表了变质基底在经历高温热扰动后冷却到300℃时的热事件年龄。结合华北克拉通变质岩的其他年代学资料,认为1800Ma士华北克拉通内经历了一次广泛而强烈的构造热伸展事件,致使克拉通基底岩石快速抬升到中上地壳,其冷却速率>6℃/Ma,隆升速率>200m/Ma。赞皇变质杂岩内苍岩寺、岗西-榆底-黑水河东和坡底-郝庄韧性剪切带内糜棱岩中黑云母分别给出了1689Ma、1633Ma和1645Ma的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar坪年龄,代表了剪切带变形的主变形时代,这一年龄也为约束长城系的底界年龄提供了新的信息。结合已有的热年代学资料,推断华北克拉通内部赞皇变质地区中元古代的冷却速率约0.4℃/Ma,隆升速率为15m/Ma。由此也表明,自中元古代以来华北克拉通内部未受到后期构造热事件的强烈扰动,赞皇变质杂岩并非中生代变质核杂岩,而是早元古代变质穹隆。     

东准噶尔扎河坝超高压变质成因石英菱镁岩的^40Ar／^39Ar同位素年代学信息及地质意义

在扎河坝-阿尔曼泰蛇绿岩岩块内分布着高压-超高压成因的二辉橄榄岩、石榴辉石岩、石英菱镁岩及榴闪岩。石英菱镁岩内多硅白云母的 Si(pfu)值均大于3.35,最高可达3.77,是典型高压-超高压成因的矿物。石英菱镁岩及其围岩蛇纹石化二辉橄榄岩的 K_2O 含量极低,且多硅白云母的 Na/(Na K)比值小于0.04,这些地球化学特征显示,扎河坝多硅白云母不应含有过剩 Ar,是一个理想的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar 定年对象。精确的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar 年代学研究结果表明,扎河坝石英菱镁岩中多硅白云母的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar 同位素年龄为281.6±2.5Ma。而矿物化学特征表明,扎河坝石英菱镁岩中的多硅白云母曾经历了退变质作用的改造,因此,它代表的应该是超高压变质石英菱镁岩的折返年龄。多硅白云母的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar 年代学研究结果表明,扎河坝-阿尔曼泰蛇绿混杂岩内超高压石英菱镁岩的折返事件应发生在早二叠世。     

川西可尔因伟晶岩型稀有金属矿床的40Ar/39Ar年代及其构造意义

川西是中国重要的稀有金属矿产资源基地,川西可尔因伟晶岩型稀有金属矿床位于松潘-甘孜造山带主体的中心部位,对该造山带的演化过程具有重要的示踪意义.本文对可尔因地区根则岩体中白云母微斜长石伟晶岩脉和党坝白云母钠长石锂辉石伟晶岩脉进行了40Ar/39Ar定年研究,其白云母40Ar/39Ar坪年龄分别为176.25±0.14Ma和152.43±0.60Ma.结合前人对可尔因岩体的成因认识和K-Ar、Rb-Sr、U-Pb同位素定年结果,推断出在印支晚期-燕山早期,该地区经历了多期岩浆演化,且持续了较长的时间,而伟晶岩的稀有金属矿化发生在岩浆活动末期的相对稳定和封闭的环境中.这些地质现象说明,松潘-甘孜造山带在经历了印支末期-燕山早期的剧烈构造运动后,在150 Ma左右进入相对稳定发展的阶段,直至喜马拉雅运动造成地壳急剧隆升,这段稳定时期为各种成矿作用的发生提供了必要条件.     

中国东部东海地区超高压变质岩构造变形事件的^40Ar／^39Ar定年与超高压变质岩折返过程的重建

近年的研究表明,中国东部东海地区的超高压变质岩在折返过程中,经历了两期构造变形。早期的韧性变形发生在角闪岩相变质作用条件下,晚期的脆韧性变形发生在绿片岩相变质作用条件下。两期构造变形的运动矢量都表现为上盘向南东的运动。对被超高压变质岩构造掩覆的海州磷矿角闪岩相白云斜长片岩中白云母~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar定年,获得的218.0±2.9 Ma的坪年龄和219.8 Ma的等时线年龄,表明早期的角闪岩相变质变形事件发生在约220 Ma。对在第二期构造变形滑脱面上定向生长的角闪石~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar定年,获得了坪年龄为213.1±0.3 Ma,等时线年龄为213.4±4.1Ma,表明了晚期变形事件的可能时代;对在滑脱面附近生长的伟晶黑云母和伟晶钾长石的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar定年,获得了黑云母的坪年龄为203.4±0.3 Ma和203.6±0.4 Ma,等时线年龄为204.0±2.0 Ma和200.6±3.1Ma;伟晶钾长石的坪年龄为204.8±2.2 Ma,等时线年龄为204.0±5.0 Ma,表明该区这些岩石直到侏罗纪初才冷却到黑云母和钾长石的K-Ar同位素体系的封闭温度。结合前人关于该区超高压变质作用发生在240Ma的年代学资料,推测该区超高压变质岩在240 Ma到220 Ma期间以3～4 km/Ma的折返速率从地幔(地表以下约80～100 km深处)折返到地壳中下部(约20～30 km深处),220 Ma到213     

佳木斯地块南缘牡丹江地区高压变质作用:黑龙江杂岩的岩石学和地质年代学

牡丹江地区出露的黑龙江杂岩是由变质基性岩、泥质片岩、大理岩和变硅质岩系列组成的类似于蛇绿岩层序的构造混杂岩,代表了佳木斯地块西南缘碰撞增生的产物.钠长石和绿帘石变斑晶中共生的矿物组合(钠云母+蓝闪石+多硅白云母+绿帘石)的地质温压计估算结果表明,黑龙江杂岩的峰期变质的温压条件为T=320～4800℃,p=800--1600MPa,为典型的绿帘-蓝片岩相高压变质作用.黑龙江杂岩带中泥质片岩所含的多硅白云母单矿物给出的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar坪年龄为164.9Ma±0.5Ma.根据白云母中K~Ar同位素体系的封闭温度(350～430℃)接近于得到的黑龙江杂岩的峰期变质温度,可以认为~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar坪年龄指示了这期高压变质事件的年龄,也证实了黑龙江杂岩带中普遍存在一期中侏罗世末期的变质-热事件.     

北山中部增生造山过程:构造变形和~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar年代学制约

北山造山带是诠释中亚造山带南缘增生构造过程的关键区域之一。北山中部变质杂岩及相关侵入岩经历了复杂变质变形作用,是解剖北山增生构造演化过程的关键。本文在详细野外观察基础上,结合显微构造变形和黑云母~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar年代学研究,厘定北山中部相关岩石的变质变形时限。北山中部岩石普遍经历了韧性剪切变形。4个样品的黑云母~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar坪年龄分别为323.1±3.6Ma、296.0±3.7Ma、261.2±3.1Ma和209.2±4.0Ma,具有自北向南逐渐变年轻的特征。结合区域上岩石大地构造单元的展布特征,这些年龄反映了北山中部地区古生代至早中生代古洋壳(牛圈子洋盆)向北俯冲、造山带往南增生的过程。北山最晚的增生造山事件可能延续到三叠纪。     

超高压变质岩多硅白云母的外来40Ar探讨

采用激光阶段加热 40Ar-39Ar定年技术, 测定了碧溪岭榴辉岩 6个多硅白云母的 Ar同位素组成.02BX030MS形成基本平坦的 40Ar-39Ar年龄谱, 数据点构成很好的正等时线, 加权平均年龄和等时线年龄均为 697 Ma, 这一年龄可能接近原岩年龄.DB-1MS、02BX018MS和 02BX019MS之 40Ar-39Ar年龄谱起伏较大, 表观年龄范围为～ 400 Ma至～ 680 Ma.在 40Ar/36Ar-39Ar/36Ar正等时线图解上, 这 3个样品数据点落在下拟合线 Reg-Ⅰ和上拟合线 Reg-Ⅲ之间.Reg-Ⅰ对应的年龄为 436～ 463 Ma, 与榴辉岩石榴子石原生流体包裹体年龄基本一致, 可能代表了榴辉岩超高压变质作用峰期的年龄;Reg-Ⅲ对应的年龄为 541～ 659 Ma, 最高年龄值小于 02BX030MS的年龄, 表明超高压变质作用使多硅白云母产生了不同程度的放射成因 40Ar部分丢失.继承 40Ar模型可以合理解释高压-超高压变质岩石之多硅白云母 40Ar-39Ar年龄明显偏老等地质现象.     

柴北缘鱼卡多硅白云母40Ar/39Ar年代学研究及其外来40Ar来源探讨

采用激光阶段加热40Ar/39Ar定年技术,选取柴北缘超高压变质带鱼卡地体超高压变质岩及其围岩的6个多硅白云母进行了Ar同位素分析,获得丰富年代学数据。榴辉岩和云母斜长角闪岩多硅白云母具有高Si、高Mg含量的特征,阶段加热给出复杂的表观年龄图谱,总气体年龄（708~534 Ma）和等时年龄（681~513 Ma）都明显老于区内榴辉岩锆石U Pb年龄,暗示样品含大量外来40Ar。相比之下,围岩花岗质片麻岩和白云母石英片岩多硅白云母具有相对低Si高Fe的特征,阶段加热给出平坦的40Ar/39Ar年龄谱,对应坪年龄分别为454和418 Ma。构成年龄坪的数据点形成了线性关系良好的反等时线,并获得同坪年龄一致的等时年龄,能与区域地质年龄很好地吻合。坪年龄454 Ma解释为花岗质片麻岩冷却到约400 ℃时的时间,同时也代表了鱼卡变质岩在经历了深俯冲超高压变质作用后,从上地幔折返抬升至中上地壳深度的时限;片岩多硅白云母坪年龄418 Ma纪录的则是区内一次强韧性剪切事件发生的时代。考虑到榴辉岩和斜长角闪岩原岩为变基性玄武岩类,其主要含钾矿物角闪石的Ar封闭稳定性较高,同时在超高压变质过程中,它们处在一个相对封闭和缺乏流体活动的极端地质环境,所以认为鱼卡榴辉岩多硅白云母外来40Ar来自原岩而非后期渗入的流体,属于“继承”40Ar的范畴。     

扬子地块西南缘大红山群石榴白云母-长石石英片岩的白云母40Ar-39Ar定年及其地质意义

大红山群是扬子地块西南缘出露的古元古代结晶基底,主要经历了绿片岩相-低角闪岩相变质作用.本研究对大红山群老厂河组变质中酸性岩和变质沉积岩——石榴白云母-长石石英片岩中的白云母进行了40Ar-39Ar测年,得到三个样品的坪年龄和40Ar/39Ar等时线年龄结果较统一,坪年龄代表的变质年龄分别为837.7±4.2Ma、839.6±4.2Ma和844.2±4.2Ma.变质沉积岩和变质中酸性岩的变质时代类似,均介于837～845Ma.大红山群变质基性岩中变质锆石的U-Pb定年年龄为849±12Ma(杨红等,2012),40Ar-39Ar测年数据与锆石定年数据相结合,说明大红山群古元古代结晶基底中的火山岩和沉积岩均在新元古代经历了同期变质作用,其主期低角闪岩相变质作用发生于新元古代837～850Ma.结合前人发表的扬子西缘～750Ma的变质年龄,扬子西缘从北向南的区域变质作用时限可扩展到750 ～850Ma.此外,扬子西缘存在750～850Ma的岩浆事件,本文研究结果说明,扬子地块西缘在新元古代不仅发生了大规模岩浆作用,也发生了750～850Ma的区域变质作用,扬子西缘存在新元古代的岩浆-变质事件.岩浆事件与变质事件之间可能存在相关性,即新元古代岩浆作用引起了扬子西缘的区域动力热流变质作用.     

40Ar/39Ar geochronology of a high-grade polymetamorphic terrain,northeastern Strangways Range,Central Australia

Minerals from the northeastern Strangways Range have been dated by ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar total degassing and incremental heating methods. Four periods of metamorphism are indicated: M1 > 1710 Ma, M2 = 1470 Ma, M3 = 700–1050 Ma, and M4 = 326–353 Ma. The two older events are recognised as distinct granulite facies metamorphic episodes, the third event as a complex reheating of the terrain, and the youngest event is the Alice Springs Orogeny.     

Metamorphic evolution of the Attic Cycladic Metamorphic Belt on Naxos (Cyclades, Greece) utilizing 40Ar/39Ar age spectrum measurements

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.     

内蒙古呼和浩特变质核杂岩韧性拆离带40Ar-39Ar定年及其构造含义

晚中生代,内蒙古大青山依次经历晚侏罗世盘羊山逆冲推覆、早白垩世呼和浩特变质核杂岩伸展、早白垩世大青山逆冲推覆断层及早白垩世以来高角度正断层复杂构造演化。其中,呼和浩特变质核杂岩韧性剪切带的冷却时间和抬升机制的制约尚不明确。本文在野外考察和显微构造分析基础上,采用逐步加热40Ar-39Ar定年法对韧性剪切带内不同单矿物的冷却年龄进行了测定。角闪石、白云母、黑云母和钾长石单矿物40Ar-39Ar冷却年龄处于120~116Ma之间。结合已有年龄数据及单矿物封闭温度,构建了韧性剪切带的冷却曲线。结果表明,韧性剪切带在122~115Ma期间存在一个明显的快速冷却过程。这一阶段快速冷却是与变质核杂岩拆离断层相关核部杂岩拆离折返作为大青山逆冲推覆断层上盘抬升的结果。     

40Ar/39Ar geochronology and P-T-t paths from the Cordillera Darwin metamorphic complex, Tierra del Fuego, Chile

Abstract ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data collected from hornblende, muscovite, biotite and K-feldspar constrain the P-T-t history of the Cordillera Darwin metamorphic complex, Tierra del Fuego, Chile. These data show two periods of rapid cooling, the first between c. 500 and c. 325° C at rates ≥25° C Ma^-1, and the second between c. 250 and c. 200°C. For high-T cooling, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages are spatially disparate and depend on metamorphic grade: rocks that record deeper and hotter peak metamorphic conditions have younger ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages. Sillimanite- and kyanite-grade rocks in the south-central part of the complex cooled latest: ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar Hbl = 73–77 Ma, Ms = 67–70 Ma, Bt = 68 Ma, and oldest Kfs = 65 Ma. Thermobarometry and P-T path studies of these rocks indicate that maximum burial of 26–30 km at 575–625° C may have been followed by as much as 10 km of exhumation with heating of 25–50° C. Staurolite-grade rocks have intermediate ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages: Hbl = 84–86 Ma, Ms = 71 Ma, Bt = 72–75 Ma, and oldest Kfs = 80 Ma. Thermobarometry on these rocks indicates maximum burial of 19–26 km at temperatures of 550–580° C. Garnet-grade rocks have the oldest ages: Ms = 72 Ma and oldest Kfs = 91 Ma; peak P-T conditions were 525–550° C and 5–7 kbar. Regional metamorphic temperatures for greenschist facies rocks south of the Beagle Channel did not exceed c. 300–325° C from 110 Ma to the present, although the rocks are only 2 km from kyanite-bearing rocks to the north. One-dimensional thermal models allow limits to be placed on exhumation rates. Assuming a stable geothermal gradient of 20–25° C km^-1, the maximum exhumation rate for the St-grade rocks is c. 2.5 mm yr^-1, whereas the minimum exhumation rate for the Ky + Sil-grade rocks is c. 1.0 mm yr^-1. Uniform exhumation rates cannot explain the disparity in cooling histories for rocks at different grades, and so early differential exhumation is inferred to have occurred. Petrological and geochronological comparisons with other metamorphic complexes suggest that single exhumation events typically remove less than c. 20 km of overburden. This behaviour can be explained in terms of a continental deformation model in which brittle extensional faults in the upper crust are rooted to shallowly dipping ductile shear zones or regions of homogeneous thinning at mid- to deep-crustal levels. The P-T-t data from Cordillera Darwin (1) are best explained by a ‘wedge extrusion’model, in which extensional exhumation in the southern rear of the complex was coeval with thrusting in the north along the margin of the complex and into the Magallanes sedimentary basin, (2) suggest that differential exhumation occurred initially, with St-grade rocks exhuming faster than Ky + Sil-grade rocks, and (3) show variations in cooling rate through time that correlate both with local deformation events and with changes in plate motions and interactions.     

大悟杂岩的形成和抬升时代及其地质意义

大悟杂岩位于大别山西段,主体为花岗质片麻岩。为了限定其形成与变形过程,本文综合运用锆石U-Pb法和白云母~(40) Ar/~(39) Ar法进行年代学研究。锆石U-Pb LA-ICP-MS法对这些花岗质片麻岩定年结果显示:锆石的Th/U值为0.79~4.29,属于典型的岩浆锆石特征;206Pb/238 U的加权平均年龄为(810±63)Ma(n=12,MSWD=0.021),代表这些花岗质片麻岩的形成时代。大悟杂岩核部花岗质片麻岩的白云母坪年龄为(210.5±1.4)Ma,相应的等时线年龄为(211.6±2.5)Ma。这些新的研究结果支持以下两点认识:大悟杂岩中的花岗质片麻岩形成于新元古代,而不是白垩纪;这些前寒武纪岩石的构造抬升过程发生在三叠纪晚期(211 Ma)。由于西大别晚三叠世构造与高压—超高压变质岩的出露过程有关,因此,大悟杂岩的变形与高压—超高压变质岩的抬升之间的关系就成为一个耐人寻味的科学问题。同时,由于大悟杂岩中的多数构造面理和线理形成于区域高压—超高压变质作用之后,据此推断西大别三叠纪晚期的变形发生在造山晚期-后造山背景下,伴随着地壳和岩石圈的大规模伸展与减薄。     

40Ar/39Ar thermochronology along a western Québec transect of the Grenville Province, Canada

Ar/Ar thermochronology on 24 hornblendes, 3 biotites, 2 muscovites and 2 K-feldspars, collected along a 400 km-long NW-SE geotraverse through the Grenville Province in western Québec, is employed to provide time constraints on the intermediate and low temperature stages of cooling of part of the Grenville orogen. In the Grenville Front zone, the c. 1000 Ma time of exhumation previously established from thermobarometric and isotopic studies, is supported by the hornblende age data presented here. From 60 km to 160 km SE of the Front, reworked Archaean migmatites of the parautochthonous Réservoir Dozois terrane (RDT; 1004 Ma-old metamorphic monazites) contain hornblendes with 972– 950 Ma cooling ages. Assuming metamorphic geotherms between 25 and 30 °C km?1, calculated cooling and unroofing rates are about 6 °C Ma?1 and 0.33 km Ma?1 in the P–T range 725 °C–800 MPa and 450 °C–400 MPa. Hornblendes from monocyclic rocks of the Mont-Laurier and Morin terranes (MLT and MT; monazite ages c. 1165 Ma) give ages of about 1040 and 1010 Ma, respectively. Calculation of cooling-unroofing rates from peak metamorphic conditions in this area is hampered by thermal perturbations associated with the still poorly dated Grenville collision which took place approximately between 1060 and 1020 Ma. Cooling ages of c. 900 Ma for muscovite and biotite and 860–810 Ma for K-feldspar, show that cooling rates decreased to around 1.5 °C Ma?1 under retrograde greenschist facies conditions in the MLT. On a time vs. distance diagram, the hornblende data define several distinct age ranges, suggesting that each terrane had a characteristic thermal history. Thus, cooling was diachronous and probably non-homogeneous throughout this segment of the Grenville orogen. The time-lag between the cooling history of the parautochthon (972–950 Ma) and the allochthons (1040–1010 Ma) is compatible with an earlier (pre-1040 Ma) peak of metamorphism in the allochthons. The Réservoir Cabonga allochthon was transported toward the NNW from its probable root zone in the MLT during the 1060–1020 Ma Grenvillian collision as a partially cooled slab. The remobilization of the Archaean parautochthon is attributed to this collision. In the Grenville Front zone, slightly older cooling ages and cooling rates initially faster than in the remaining part of the parautochthon are probably as a result of rapid (tectonic?) exhumation shortly after collision. The minor delay (20–30 Ma) in unroofing of the MT compared to the adjacent MLT is most likely related to post-1040 Ma extensional displacement along the Labelle shear zone. In terranes like those described above where metamorphism is diachronous, determination of cooling rates and the history of exhumation may be meaningless without a firm control on the regional structure. However, identification of contrasting cooling histories contributes to unravelling the independent movement of terranes.     

Tectonometamorphic evolution of the Sebadani eclogitic metagabbro and the Sambagawa schists, central Shikoku, Japan: 40Ar/39Ar mineral age constraints

Abstract The Sambagawa metamorphic belt exposed in central Shikoku records a high-P–T metamorphic event. It is represented by the Oboke nappe and structurally overlying, internally imbricated, Besshi nappe complex. These major structural units are in ductile thrust contact. A melange is developed along a ductile internal tectonic contact within the Besshi nappe complex. Tectonic emplacement of a high-T enclave (Sebadani eclogite) in the melange zone resulted in the development of a contact metamorphic aureole within the host Sambagawa rocks. ³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar versus ³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar isotope correlation ages recorded by hornblende from the Sambagawa basic schists which surround the Sebadani enclave are 83.4 ± 0.3 Ma (within contact aureole) and 83.6 ± 0.5 Ma (outside aureole). ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages recorded by muscovite from the same samples are 87.9 ± 0.3 and 89.3 ± 0.4 Ma. Amphibole from the amphibolite within the Sebadani enclave records isotope correlation ages of 93.7 ± 1.1 and 96.5 ± 0.7 Ma (massive interior) and 84.6 ± 1.2 Ma (marginal shear zone). Amphibole within the massive amphibolite is significantly higher in X_Mg than that within the host Sambagawa basic schists. The older ages recorded by amphibole within the Sebadani enclave are interpreted to date cooling through somewhat higher closure temperatures than which characterize the more Fe-rich amphibole in surrounding schists. The younger amphibole age recorded within the marginal shear zone probably indicates that crystallization of amphibole continued until cooling through the relatively lower amphibole closure temperatures. These results, together with the previously published ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of the Sambagawa schists, suggest: (i) metamorphic culmination occurred in the Besshi nappe complex at c. 100–90 Ma; (ii) at c. 95 Ma the Besshi nappe complex was internally imbricated and tectonic enclaves were emplaced; (iii) at c. 85 Ma, the composite Besshi nappe was rapidly exhumed and tectonically emplaced over the Oboke nappe (which attained peak metamorphic conditions at c. 75 Ma); (iv) the Besshi and Oboke nappe complexes were further exhumed as a coherent tectonic unit and unconformably overlain by the Eocene Kuma Group at c. 50 Ma.     

Late Caledonian Ductile Thrusting Deformation in the Central East Kunlun Belt, Qinghai, China and Its Significance: Evidence from Geochronology

A high-angle ductile thrusting deformation with top-to-the-north movement penetratively developed in the Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic metamorphic rocks along the Central East Kunlun belt. The deformed rocks suffered epidote-amphibolite facies metamorphism. On the basis of our previous study, we present more data in this paper to further support that the ducdle thrust deformation occurred in the later Caledonian and more detailed information about the deformation. A zircon U-Pb concordant age of 446±2.2 Ma of a deformed granodiorite in the ductile thrust zone was obtained and can be interpreted as the lower limit of the deformation. A syntectonically crystallized and also strongly deformed hornblende Ar/ Ar dating gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 426.5±3.8 Ma, which represents the deformation age. A strongly orientated muscovite gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 408±1.6Ma, representing the cooling age after the peak temperature, constraining the upper limit of the ductile thrust deformation. This ductile thru