Controls on P–T–t deformation path from amphibole zonation during progressive metamorphism of basic rocks (estuary of the River Vilaine, South Brittany, France)

Abstract Edenite/tremolite and edenite/magnesio-hornblende in equilibrium with plagioclase, chlorite, epidote, quartz and vapour involve several types of reactions for which K _D can be related to T and P. Thermodynamic calculation of these equilibria leads to isopleth systems. Given knowledge of the progressive changes of end-member activities in zoned Ca–Mg amphiboles (based on microprobe analyses), it is possible to construct precise pressure–temperature–time paths ( P–T–t paths) which have been followed by metabasites during polyphase metamorphism. When applied to basic rocks from the River Vilaine area, this method allows us to construct a P–T–t path that can be compared directly to the P–T–t path constructed from interbedded acid rocks (aluminous micaschists) in the same structural unit. Through time, both basic and acid rocks underwent the same complex deformation history that can be described conveniently in the L–S fabric system of Flinn. This allows us to construct a P–T–t deformation path for this structural unit.
These paths are interpreted in terms of an under/overthrusting continental collision belt (the Hercynian belt), and represent an illustration of the time delay caused by stacking of more than two crustal units.     

Chloritöid-pyrophyllite-rectorite facies rocks from Brittany,France

Electron microprobe analyses of minerals in low grade metamorphic sandy black shales of middle Paleozoic age indicate that chemical equilibrium was closely approached in authigenic ferro-magnesian or alkali-bearing phases while aluminum silicate minerals appear to have reacted at a slower rate. The K for Mg-Fe in chlorite-chloritöid pairs is 0.19, the latter phase being iron-rich. The pseudomorphism of detrital white micas produces kaolinite, pyrophyllite and intimate mixtures of muscoviteparagonite. New phases forming in other sites include chlorite, chloritöid and rectorite which is an ordered paragonitebeidellite mixed layered phase. These minerals were formed at temperatures below 280° C. This is just above the stability of the illite-smectite mixed layered minerals which have an ISII ordering sequence (85 to 95% illite). It was noted that ferromagnesian minerals attain chemical equilibrium on a thin-section scale while the aluminous phases often seem to respond to chemical potentials operative on a submillimetric scale.     

Sheath-like folds and progressive fold deformation in tertiary sedimentary rocks of the Shimanto accretionary complex,Japan

The Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene portion of the Cretaceous-Lower Miocene Shimanto accretionary complex on the Muroto Peninsula, southwest Japan, comprises alternating belts of coherent clastic rocks and shaly mélange. Sheath-like folds formed locally during a fold-thrust deformation that affected a 10 km structural thickness of these rocks. In a subsequent event confined to the mélange and adjoining areas, the axes of these folds were rotated nearly 90° within the plane of their axial surfaces. The widespread uniform development of the folds and an accompanying axial-planar pressure-solution cleavage strongly suggest that these deformations were tectonically induced, rather than gravity driven slump features. The sheath-like folds indicate that the most plausible environment for these rocks was in an accreted packet of trench-fill, behind the imbricate toe of the Shimanto accretionary complex. The timing of the deformation is constrained by depositional ages as well as by the probable Early Miocene age of an overlying superficial basin and early Middle Miocene igneous dikes that intrude the sequence. This chronology overlaps with the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene opening of the Shikoku back-arc basin, bordering the Shimanto Belt to the southwest; thus accretion and subduction were active during the basin opening event. These conclusions conflict sharphy with earlier held notions of strike-slip and olistostrome tectonics along this plate margin during the Early Miocene opening of the Shikoku Basin.     

Progressive metamorphism in a crustal-scale shear zone: an example from the Léon region, north-west Brittany, France

This paper describes the progressive metamorphism and deformation of a series of metasediments, Le Conquet Schists and their higher grade equivalents, which occur as tectonically emplaced screens within a sequence of foliated gneisses, the Gneiss de Brest and Gneiss de Lesneven. The sequence exhibits a steep south to north increase in metamorphic grade from garnet-staurolite schist to sillimanite gneiss and sillimanite-K-feldspar migmatite. The relationship of mineral growth to foliation development has been established for individual screens. At least five phases of deformation (D1-D5) are preserved. Analysis of porphyroblast inclusion trails is used to demonstrate sequential mineral growth during the successive development of orthogonal foliations S1-S4. Porphyroblasts continued to grow during the subsequent development of C-S mylonite fabrics and extensional crenulation cleavages which are genetically related to a series of high-strain zones (D5). Mineral assemblages, phase relations and mineral chemistry are consistent with porphyroblast growth being the result of continuous reactions. Microstructure-porphyroblast relations are used to show that although mineral growth proceeded during continuous reactions, these only operated episodically. Phase relations, mineral chemistry and P-T estimates are used to constrain P-T trajectories and these are linked to the deformation histories within individual screens. A comparison between the resulting pressure-temperature-deformation paths is used to demonstrate that the metamorphic peak occurred progressively later and at successively lower pressures with increasing metamorphic grade. It is suggested that the early evolution of the belt is the result of crustal thickening by overthrusting. The subsequent history is one of progressive heating and unroofing of the higher grade rocks in a dextral strike-slip transtensional shear zone.     

Macro and microstructures as indicators of the development of syntectonic granitoids and host rocks in the Camboriú region,Santa Catarina,Brazil

In the northeastern Dom Feliciano Belt, Santa Catarina/Brazil, Paleoproterozoic rocks (mainly the Camboriú Complex) and Neoproterozoic granitoids – with the older Itapema Granite and the younger Corre-mar, Rio Pequeno and Serra dos Macacos granites – experienced a deformation history from magmatic to greenschist facies temperatures, under different rheological conditions. The concordance of flat amphibolite facies structures of the Camboriú Complex and magmatic and subsolidus structures in the Itapema Granite indicate the late-tectonic character of the latter. Based on tectonic features, the Corre-mar Granite is interpreted as older than the Rio Pequeno Granite and as related to transcurrent tectonics of the Southern Brazilian Shear Belt.In all granites, microstructures point to widespread magmatic alignment, followed by weak subsolidus and, locally, amphibolite to greenschist facies deformation. Magmatic foliations are progressively weaker in the younger granites. Synmagmatic shear zones in the Rio Pequeno Granite are possibly concentrated at the intrusive contact. The weak solid-state deformation at late-magmatic conditions argues for magmatism within a low-strain zone, which is compatible with the location of the area relative to the Major Gercino and Itajaí shear zones. The amphibolite to greenschist facies deformation structures are attributed to continuous deformation within the same low-strain zone during decreasing temperatures.     

Formation of low-temperature mylonites and phyllonites by alkali-metasomatic weakening of felsic volcanic rocks during progressive,subduction-related deformation

Dacitic to rhyolitic volcanic rocks of the Spruce Lake nappe experienced two phases of alkali-metasomatism as a result of fluids channelling along shear zones. The shear zones formed during a progressive, thrust-related deformation associated with underplating and incorporation of the volcanic rocks into the Brunswick subduction complex of northern New Brunswick. The fluids mainly represent chemically and isotopically modified seawater released by dewatering of the associated underthrusted shaly sedimentary rocks. Both phases of metasomatism weakened the felsic rocks, leading to strain localisation. Albitisation of felsic volcanic rocks as a result of Na-metasomatism during underthrusting facilitated formation of mylonites near peak high-pressure metamorphism (330–370°C, 600–800 MPa). The mylonites are preferentially preserved in the roof-thrust shear zone of the Spruce Lake nappe. Core-mantle structures, bulging and crystallographically preferred orientations indicate that albite behaved more ductilely than K-feldspar. The ductility of albite at these low temperatures is interpreted as a function of abundant intragranular fluids. Phengite-rich phyllonites formed after peak high–pressure metamorphism during uplift by out-of-sequence thrusting. These phyllonites are generally characterised by a slight gain in K and loss of Na and are best developed in the basal shear zones of the Spruce Lake nappe.     

Calcite fabrics around folds as indicators of deformation history

In the Morcles nappe (lowermost Helvetic nappe in western Switzerland) two phases of folding have been established. In this article the relationship between the calcite fabrics present in folded limestones and the folding history is analysed. Calcite fabrics around the first- and second-phase folds are related to the second phase of deformation. The following fabric patterns have been found. (1) The fabric geometry around a second-phase fold from the most internal part of the inverted limb of the nappe (locality Saillon) can be related to an overall simple shear deformation sequence, the sense of shear being related to the last advance of the Morcles nappe over the underlying autochthonous sedimentary cover of the Aiguilles Rouges massif. (2) In more external parts of the inverted limb (locality Petit Pré) the fabrics around a second-phase fold are interpreted as indicating a change in the deformation history from simple shear to a strain regime which can account for shortening along the first-phase cleavage by the formation of buckle folds. This change in the local strain regime could be related to a ‘locking’ of the frontal folds of the nappe during the last overthrust shear movements. (3) In the normal limb of the nappe the fabrics around a late second-phase kink fold (locality Neimia) are earlier than the folding event and appear to be rotated passively by the fold. (4) The fabrics around a first-phase fold (locality La Routia) are later than the folding event and overprint the fold.     

Synoblique convergent and extensional deformation and metamorphism in the Neoproterozoic rocks along Wadi Fatira shear zone, Northern Eastern Desert, Egypt

The Wadi Fatira area occurs at the southern margin of the Northern Eastern Desert (NED) of Egypt and is occupied by highly sheared metavolcanics tectonically alternated with banded iron formations and intruded by Barud tonalite–granodiorite, post-tectonic gabbroic and granitic intrusions. Detailed structural investigation showed that the schists and migmatitic amphibolites are formed by shearing in metavolcanics and syntectonic Barud tonalite–granodiorite due to movement along the Wadi Fatira shear zone (WFSZ). This shear zone starts as a NW–SE striking fault along Wadi Barud Al Azraq and the Eastern part of Wadi Fatira and turns to a E–W trending fault to the north of Wadi Fatira. Microstructural shear sense indicators such as asymmetric geometry of porphyroclasts such as σ-type and asymmetric folds deforming fine-grained bands which are frequently found around porphyroclasts indicate sinistral sense of shearing along the WFSZ. This shear zone is characterized by transitions from local convergence to local extension along their E–W and NW–SE trending parts, respectively. The NW–SE part of the WFSZ is of about 200 m in width and characterized by synmagmatic extensional features such as intrusion of synkinematic tonalite, creation of NE–SE trending normal faults, and formation of migmatitic amphibolites and schlieric tonalites. This part of the shear zone is metamorphosed under synthermal peak metamorphic conditions (725°C at 2–4 kbar). The E–W compressional part of the WFSZ is up to 3 km in width and composed of hornblende, chlorite, actinolite, and biotite schists together with sheared intermediate and acidic metatuffs. Contractional and transpressional structures in this part of the WFSZ include E–W trending major asymmetrical anticline and syncline, nearly vertical foliation and steeply pitching stretching lineations, NNE dipping minor thrusts, and minor intrafolial folds with their hinges parallel to the stretching lineation. P–T estimates using mineral analyses of plagioclase and hornblende from schists and foliated metavolcanics indicate prograde metamorphism under medium-grade amphibolite facies (500–600°C at 3–7 kbar) retrogressed to low-grade greenschist facies (227–317°C). The foliation in Barud tonalite–granodiorite close to the E–W part of the WFSZ runs parallel to the plane of shearing and the tonalite show numerous magmatic flow structures overprinted by folding and ductile shearing. The WFSZ is similar to structures resulted from combined simple shear and orthogonal shortening of oblique transpressive shear zones and their sense of movement is comparable with the characteristics of the Najd Fault System.     

中蒙边界中生代推覆-伸展递进转换及地壳尺度的切向剪切

中蒙边界一带发育中生代大型推覆和伸展构造。亚干伸展变质核杂岩从开始形成到最终(早白垩世)成型是一个长期递进发育过程,早期深层次透入性韧性伸展剪切主要发生于170～135Ma,有迹象显示在228～170Ma已经开始。这与中生代推覆事件在时代上重合,且运动指向相同,即上盘均向南东,显示推覆与伸展同时、同向的递进转换。提出地壳尺度切向剪切构造模式:在上地壳近水平简单剪切和水平挤压叠加构成一般剪切而形成推覆;而在中下地壳近水平简单剪切和上下挤压(重力作用)叠加构成一般剪切而发育同向伸展拆离剪切带(C'),随着上地壳的增厚和下地壳的减薄,该伸展剪切带向上扩展形成变质核杂岩。     

中蒙边界中生代推覆—伸展递进转换及地壳尺度的切向剪切

中蒙边界－带发育中生代大型推覆和伸展构造。亚干伸展变质核杂岩从开始形成到最终（早白垩世）成型是一个长期递进发育过程,早期深层次透入性韧性伸展剪切主要发生于170－135Ma,有迹象显示在228－170Ma已经开始。这与中生代推覆事件在时代上重合,且运动指向相同,即上盘均向南东,显示推覆与伸展同时、同向的递进转换。提出地壳尺度切向剪切构造模式：在上地壳近水平简单剪切和水平挤压叠加构成一般剪切而形成推覆;而在中下地壳近水平简单剪切和上下挤压（重力作用）叠加构成一般剪切而发育同向伸展拆离剪切带（C′）,随着上地壳的增厚和下地壳的减薄,该伸展剪切带向上扩展形成变质核杂岩。     

The mineralogy of the glaucophane schists and associated rocks from Île de Groix,Brittany, France

Ninety-seven mineral phases consisting of ten chloritoids, fifteen epidotes, sixteen garnets, four sphenes, seven rutiles, seven pyroxenes, thirteen blue amphiboles, two green amphiboles, eleven phengites, two paragonites, a mariposite, seven chlorites, and two specimens of albite were obtained from the metamorphic rocks of Île de Groix, and their chemical, physical, optical and X-ray properties determined. The chloritoids are all optically positive, monoclinic polymorphs with large 2V, moderate refractive indices and characterized by high densities. Their fluorine contents have been used to propose a new upper limit for OHF substitution in the chloritoid structure, suggesting that partial pressure of fluorine might modify the stability of chloritoids from that determined in pure H₂O. The epidotes belong to the Al-Fe epidote series and are epidote sensu stricto. The almandine-rich garnets and the chloromelanites are metastable relics in the glaucophane schists. The grossular contents of the calcareous schist garnets are believed to have become depressed under high CO₂ pressure and the low Tschermak's contents of the pyroxenes are to be explained by equilibria involving epidote at high and low temperature when the Tschermak's components will break down to epidote group minerals. The sphenes contain appreciable amounts of combined water, fluorine substituting for oxygen and aluminium substituting for silicon and titanium. The presence of H₃O⁺ is suspected in a specimen of blue amphibole. The barroisite has a composition between glaucophane and hornblende. On account of its high Fe³⁺ content it is believed to have formed under higher P _{O 2} than the blue amphiboles. The paragonites which occur in the ohloritoid veins are unstable in the potassium-rich aluminous schists. The phengites show a tendency towards sericitic composition due to post-glaucophanisation readjustments under the lower pressure conditions of the greenschist facies. Some of the Fe³⁺ contents of the chlorites are interpreted as due to oxidation of ferrous iron, e.g. 2 [Fe(OH)₂]2FeOOH + H₂. The minerals show strong chemical control of the host rock and their Mn contents are directly related to those of the minerals from which they have evolved through retrogression.Chloritoids and epidotes that are not associated with garnets contain higher amounts of manganese; similarly, the two blue amphiboles with the highest FeMg ratios were obtained from rocks in which garnet has not appeared. It is therefore believed that ottrelite and piemontite would be stable only at the lowest subfacies of the greenschist facies. Also, the ironrich amphiboles must have evolved from low-grade iron-aluminium chlorites, since on the appearance of garnet in a schist iron-aluminium chlorites react with quartz to give almandine and Mg-rich chlorites. The Fe²⁺Mg ratios of the blue amphiboles therefore reflect the grade of the original schist in which the minerals formed.     

Trace elements in Upper Devonian rocks of the Andoma Hill zone of fold-and-fault dislocations (southeastern Onega region) as indicators of source areas

The paper reports the results of lithogeochemical studies of the Upper Devonian rocks from the Andoma Hill zone of fold-and-fault dislocations (SE Onega region). The rocks are characterized by the negative Eu anomaly (from 0.4 to 0.65) that maks them different from modern sediments of the White Sea. The latter can be regarded as the average composition of mainly Archean (Karelian–Kola) part of the Baltic Shield. In terms of the contents of some trace elements, they also differ from the Vendian rocks of the Zimnii Bereg area. Since the considered rocks are geochemically similar to the Svecofennian metamorphic rocks and Paleoproterozoic granite rapakivi, they could be formed by the erosion of these complexes. The clastic material was transported via a channel confined to the Baltic Shield and Russian Platform junction known as the Polkanov geoflexure.     

Clinopyroxenes as geobarometric indicators in mafic and ultramafic rocks from Canary Islands

This paper describes the use of pyroxene compounds of clinopiroxene in mafic and ultramafic rocks (inclusions and layered outcrops) in the Canary Islands as geobarometric indicators of the depth of formation of different rock types. The upper mantle origin of peridotite and gabbro inclusions was confirmed, while a crustal character is proposed for the layered complexes. Finally, a scheme of Canary substrate is outlined.     

Mineral fish: their morphological classification,usefulness as shear sense indicators and genesis

Mineral fish are sheared and commonly asymmetric mineral grains or clusters of grains. This work reports 11 sub-types of mineral fish showing a top-to-SE sense of ductile shearing in the Karakoram Metamorphic Complex (KMC). The mineral fish are of three broad geometries: sigmoid, lenticular and parallelogram. Reliable senses of shear are indicated by the overall asymmetry and inclination of mineral fish. On the other hand, the true shear sense is not always indicated by either the orientations of their cleavage planes or those of the individual grains in composite mineral fish. The ranges of local orientations of single sigmoid mineral fish that include the lower values (<23°) in the KMC indicate their extensive ductile shearing. The studied mineral fish were products of a range of deformation mechanisms including homogeneous deformation, simple shear, intra-granular slip, crystal-plastic deformation, fracturing and synthetic shearing. Additionally, some examples might have undergone duplex slips and a few nucleated and grew either prior to or during the top-to-SE shearing.     

Fault deformation mechanisms and fault rocks in micritic limestones: Examples from Corinth rift normal faults

A multidisciplinary study investigates the influence of different parameters on fault rock architecture development along normal faults affecting non-porous carbonates of the Corinth rift southern margin. Here, some fault systems cut the same carbonate unit (Pindus), and the gradual and fast uplift since the initiation of the rift led to the exhumation of deep parts of the older faults. This exceptional context allows superficial active fault zones and old exhumed fault zones to be compared.Our approach includes field studies, micro-structural (optical microscope and cathodoluminescence), geochemical analyses (δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O, trace elements) and fluid inclusions microthermometry of calcite sin-kinematic cements.Our main results, in a depth-window ranging from 0 m to about 2500 m, are: i) all cements precipitated from meteoric fluids in a close or open circulation system depending on depth; ii) depth (in terms of P/T condition) determines the development of some structures and their sealing; iii) lithology (marly levels) influences the type of structures and its cohesive/non-cohesive nature; iv) early distributed rather than final total displacement along the main fault plane is the responsible for the fault zone architecture; v) petrophysical properties of each fault zone depend on the variable combination of these factors.     

Pregnanes as molecular indicators for depositional environments of sediments and petroleum source rocks

Steroids with unconventional side chains have increasingly been applied as diagnostic markers for geological source and age assessments. However, one of the most distinctive characteristics, the abnormal abundance of pregnane and homopregnane in ancient sediments and petroleum, remains unresolved. Higher pregnane and homopregnane, as well as C₂₃–C₂₆ 20-n-alkylpregnanes, relative to the regular steranes were observed in samples collected from different petroleum basins in China. These included Precambrian marine carbonate-derived petroleum (NW Sichuan Basin), Lower Paleozoic marine marl derived crude oils (Tarim Basin), and Eocene hypersaline lacustrine carbonate source rocks and associated petroleum (Bohai Bay Basin). However, all of the samples have many common biomarker characteristics, such as pristane/phytane ratios < 1, low amounts of diasteranes and high C₂₉/C₃₀ hopane (∼0.6–1), C₃₅/C₃₄ hopane (mostly ⩾ 1) and dibenzothiophene/phenanthrene (DBT/PHEN, mostly 0.5–1) ratios revealing a contribution from anoxic carbonate/marl source rocks deposited in restricted, clastic-starved settings. We suggest that 5α,l4β,l7β-pregnane and homopregnane, as well as their higher C₂₃–C₂₆ homologues, are geological products derived from steroids bound to the kerogen by a sulfurized side chain. Carbon or carbonate minerals are considered to be natural catalysts for this cracking reaction via preferential cleavage of the bond between C-20 and C-22. Similar distributions occur in the short chain analogues of 4-methylsterane, triaromatic steroid and methyltriaromatic steroid hydrocarbons, providing circumstantial evidence for this proposal. The ratio of pregnane and homopregnane to the total regular steranes and the ratio of C₂₇ diasteranes to cholestanes can be sensitive indicators of sedimentary environments and facies. In general, high diasteranes and low pregnanes (with homologues) indicate an oxic water column or significant input of terrigenous organic matter in clay rich source rocks and some organic lean carbonate rocks. Low diasteranes with high pregnanes implies restricted, sulfur rich conditions, typical of anoxic carbonate source rocks. Furthermore, the two ratios may be useful to assess the variation of mineralogy and openness of source rock depositional settings.     

Natural indicators of solid-body rotation in deformed rocks

Mechanically passive features with structural polarity such as faint graded beds or cross beds are apt to be the best natural gauges of two-dimensional paleo-rotation. If the primary dip direction of cross bedding is known, then the planes of bedding and cross bedding collectively record the magnitude of three-dimensional rotation. Rigid spherical inclusions fail to roll as a result of oblique superposition of pure finite strains or due to bulk rotation of lithologic units. In progressive simple shear, the rigid-body rotation of spherical or circular inclusions is generally greater than the solid-body rotation of the weak matrix, which cannot exceed 90 degrees.     

Comments on the interpretation of deformation textures in rocks

In rocks that undergo ductile deformation, preferred orientation develops as a result of intracrystalline slip and mechanical twinning. The orientation distribution is a consequence of the microscopic mechanisms and of the strain path. It can be used to get some insight into the deformation history; however it is never unique. The interpretation relies largely on polycrystal plasticity theory. The concepts of stress equilibrium and strain compatibility, which are two extreme assumptions made to model deformation, are discussed. New approaches such as the viscoplastic self-consistent theory are a compromise and may be applicable to mineral systems which display a high degree of plastic anisotropy. Important extensions allow for heterogeneous deformation in the polycrystal from grain to grain and even within grains in correspondence with microstructural observations. All these theories defy the popular notion which is becoming entrenched in the geological literature, that the microscopic slip plane normal aligns with the axis of maximum principal compressive stress, and that in simple shear the crystallographic slip plane rotates into the macroscopic shear plane and the slip direction into the macroscopic shear direction, an orientation referred to by geologists as ‘easy glide’. It is emphasized that future work on texture development of rocks should be based on rigorous physics rather than ingenious intuition, in accordance with an old recommendation of Walter Schmidt.