Study of nanocrystals in the dynamic slip zone

Mineral composition is studied and a search to detect nanocrystals is conducted in the surface layers of slickensides formed due to dynamic slip in arkose sandstone. The infrared and Raman spectroscopy show that the slickensided layer is composed of nanocrystals of montmorillonite and anatase measuring ??15 nm and 3 nm, respectively. The crystalline lattice of the nanocrystals of montmorillonite is stretched by ??2.5% while the lattice of the nanocrystals of anatase is compressed by ??0.12%. Deeper than 3 mm below the slickenside surface, the sandstone contains nanocrystals of montmorillonite, beidellite and nontronite, quartz, plagioclase, and anatase. The nanocrystals of anatase have a linear size of ??8 nm. Their crystalline lattice is compressed by ??0.03%. It is supposed that montmorillonite in the slickensides was formed due to hydrolytic decomposition of silicates under friction of the fault planes sliding past each other.     

A study of nanocrystals in rocks subjected to natural and engineered mechanical and thermal impacts

The results are reported of Raman spectroscopy for nanocrystals of a variety of mineral species (quartz, anatase, plagioclase, pyrope, omphacite, and albite) in rocks from different depth intervals. It was found that average dimensions of the nanocrystals vary from 5 to 30 nm. The crystallographic cell in the nanocrystals is deformed. The effective stresses responsible for these deformations vary from −0.4 to +1.2 GPa. After having been exposed to high pressure under high temperature, the nanocrystals of quartz and albite shrank in size, while the effective tensile stresses increased.     

油砂组分遥感光谱响应特征及意义

基于油砂组分的吸收光谱物理响应机理,通过对比矿物基团平均吸收深度,建立主要蚀变矿物ASTER多光谱遥感数据异常提取模式以识别油砂分布.研究表明,与传统的烃类微渗漏遥感研究手段相比,该模式可以更有效地指示油砂的分布.利用油砂组分基团光谱平均吸收深度与孔隙度及渗透率进行相关分析,研究了油砂光谱与所处地质背景环境中储层物性之间的关联关系.结果表明,表征粘土矿物含量的粘土基团吸收深度与孔渗值呈负相关关系,指示含油性的烃类基团吸收深度与孔渗值呈显著正相关关系.     

Cathodoluminescence, electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy of experimentally shock-metamorphosed zircon

Thorough understanding of the shock metamorphic signatures of zircon could be the basis for the use of this mineral as a powerful tool for the study of old, deeply eroded, and metamorphically overprinted impact structures and formations. This study of the cathodoluminescence (CL) and Raman spectroscopic signatures of experimentally (20-60 GPa) shock-metamorphosed zircon single crystals contributes to the understanding of high-pressure microdeformation in zircon. For all samples, an inverse relationship between the brightness of the backscattered electron (BSE) signal and the corresponding cathodoluminescence intensity was observed. The unshocked sample shows crosscutting, irregular fractures. The 20 GPa sample displays some kind of mosaic texture of CL brighter and darker domains, but does not exhibit any shock metamorphic features in BSE or CL images. The 40 GPa sample shows a high density of lamellar features, which might be explained by the phase transformation between zircon- and scheelite-structure phases of zircon and resulting differences in the energy levels of the activator elements. The CL spectra of unshocked and shocked (20, 40, and 60 GPa) zircon samples are dominated by narrow emission lines and broad bands in the region of visible light and in the near-UV range. The emission lines result from rare earth element activators and the broad bands might be associated with lattice defects. Raman spectra revealed that the unshocked and 20 GPa samples represent zircon-structure material, whereas the 40 GPa sample yielded additional peaks with relatively high peak intensities, which are indicative of the presence of the scheelite-type high-pressure phase. The 60 GPa sample has a Raman signature that is similar to that of an amorphous phase, in contrast to the observations of an earlier TEM study that the crystalline scheelite-structure phase is stable at this shock pressure. The 60 GPa Raman signature cannot be explained at this stage. The results show a clear dependence of the CL and Raman properties of zircon on shock pressure, which confirm the possible usage of these methods as shock indicators.     

Effects of high pressure and temperature on the properties of nanocrystals in rocks: Evidences from Raman spectroscopy

A search is conducted to detect nanocrystals in a sample of apogranitic pseudotachylite, which is a product of extremely strong crushing of granite in a seismogenic fault. Raman spectroscopy revealed nanocrystals of quartz measuring approximately 17 to 25 nm and low-temperature albite ranging from 8 to 30 nm. The crystallographic cell in the nanocrystals is deformed. The internal stresses which might have been responsible for these deformations vary from approximately −300 (compression) to +480 (tension) MPa. It is found that after having been exposed to high pressure (1 GPa) and temperature (470–500°C for 10 minutes and 550–600°C for 16 minutes), the nanocrystals of quartz reduced in size to ≈10 nm, and the nanocrystals of albite, to 13 nm. At the same time, the level of tension in the lattice spacing of quartz increased.     

A new approach to develop the Raman carbonaceous material geothermometer for low‐grade metamorphism using peak width

The Raman spectra of carbonaceous material (CM) from 19 metasediment samples collected from six widely separated areas of Southwest Japan and metamorphosed at temperatures from 165 to 655°C show systematic changes with metamorphic temperature that can be classified into four types: low‐grade CM (c. 150–280°C), medium‐grade CM (c. 280–400°C), high‐grade CM (c. 400–650°C), and well‐crystallized graphite (> c. 650°C). The Raman spectra of low‐grade CM exhibit features typical of amorphous carbon, in which several disordered bands (D‐band) appear in the first‐order region. In the Raman spectra of medium‐grade CM, the graphite band (G‐band) can be recognized and several abrupt changes occur in the trends for several band parameters. The observed changes indicate that CM starts to transform from amorphous carbon to crystallized graphite at around 280°C, and this transformation continues until 400°C. The G‐band becomes the most prominent peak at high‐grade CM suggesting that the CM structure is close to that of well‐crystallized graphite. In the highest temperature sample of 655°C, the Raman spectra of CM show a strong G‐band with almost no recognizable D‐band, implying the CM grain is well‐crystallized graphite. In the Raman spectra of low‐ to medium‐grade CM, comparisons of several band parameters with the known metamorphic temperature show inverse correlations between metamorphic temperature and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the D1‐ and D2‐bands. These correlations are calibrated as new Raman CM geothermometers, applicable in the range of c. 150–400°C. Details of the methodology for peak decomposition of Raman spectra from the low to medium temperature range are also discussed with the aim of establishing a robust and user‐friendly geothermometer.     

DEFORMATION MECHANISM OF GRANITIC ROCKS IN BRITTLE-PLASTIC TRANSITION ZONE

Field studies and seismic data show that semi-brittle flow of fault rocks probably is the dominant deformation mechanism at the base of the seismogenic zone at the so-called frictional-plastic transition. As the bottom of seismogenic fault, the dynamic characteristics of the frictional-plastic transition zone and plastic zone are very important for the seismogenic fault during seismic cycles. Granite is the major composition of the crust in the brittle-plastic transition zone. Compared to calcite, quartz, plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine, the rheologic data of K-feldspar is scarce. Previous deformation studies of granite performed on a quartz-plagioclase aggregate revealed that the deformation strength of granite was similar with quartz. In the brittle-plastic transition zone, the deformation characteristics of granite are very complex, temperature of brittle-plastic transition of quartz is much lower than that of feldspar under both natural deformation condition and lab deformation condition. In the mylonite deformed under the middle crust deformation condition, quartz grains are elongated or fine-grained via dislocation creep, dynamic recrystallization and superplastic flow, plagioclase grains are fine-grained by bugling recrystallization, K-feldspar are fine-grained by micro-fractures. Recently, both field and experimental studies presented that the strength of K-feldspar is much higher than that of quartz and plagioclase. The same deformation mechanism of K-feldspar and plagioclase occurred under different temperature and pressure conditions, these conditions of K-feldspar are higher than plagioclase. The strength of granite is similar to feldspar while it contains a high content of K-feldspar. High shear strain experiment studies reveal that granite is deformed by local ductile shear zones in the brittle-plastic transition zone. In the ductile shear zone, K-feldspar is brittle fractured, plagioclase are bugling and sub-grain rotation re-crystallized, and quartz grains are plastic elongated. These local shear zones are altered to local slip-zones with strain increasing. Abundances of K-feldspar, plagioclase and mica are higher in the slip-zones than that in other portions of the samples (K-feldspar is the highest), and abundance of quartz is decreased. Amorphous material is easily formed by shear strain acting on brittle fine-grained K-feldspar and re-crystallized mica and plagioclase. Ductile shear zone is the major deformation mechanism of fault zones in the brittle-plastic transition zone. There is a model of a fault failed by bearing constant shear strain in the transition zone:local shear zones are formed along the fractured K-feldspar grains; plagioclase and quartz are fine-grained by recrystallization, K-feldspar is crushed into fine grains, these small grains and mica grains partially change to amorphous material, local slip-zones are generated by these small grains and the amorphous materials; then, the fault should be failed via two ways, 1)the local slip-zones contact to a throughout slip-zone in the center of the fault zone, the fault is failed along this slip-zone, and 2)the local slip-zones lead to bigger mineral grains that are in contact with each other, stress is concentrated between these big grains, the fault is failed by these big grains that are fractured. Thus, the real deformation character of the granite can't be revealed by studies performing on a quartz-plagioclase aggregate. This paper reports the different deformation characters between K-feldspar, plagioclase and quartz under the same pressure and temperature condition based on previous studies. Then, we discuss a mode of instability of a fault zone in the brittle-plastic transition zone. It is still unclear that how many contents of weak mineral phase(or strong mineral phase)will control the strength of a three-mineral-phase granite. Rheological character of K-feldspar is very important for study of the deformation characteristic of the granitic rocks.     

Raman observations on individual interplanetary dust particles

This paper reports the first Raman study of a representative set of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) belonging to different infrared spectral classes. Six different groups of Raman spectra can be discerned among the 20 IDPs studied. All particles, except the four belonging to group 6, exhibit the Raman signature of poorly crystallized carbonaceous material. The degree of “disorder” of this material, as evidenced by the width and relative strength of the two first-order Raman bands at 1360 relative cm⁻¹ and 1600 relative cm⁻¹, varies among particles from different spectral groups (increasing from group 1 to group 5). The most ordered carbonaceous material, with an estimated upper crystallite size limit of 60Å(group 1), is found in particles that tend to show deuterium depletions and that have infrared spectra characteristic of olivines. Raman spectra of particles belonging to groups 2, 3 and 4 (none of which have FTIR spectra characteristic of olivines) show clear evidence for the presence of carbonaceous material, although the “degree of order” is noticeably less than for carbons in group 1 particles. All seven particles with documented deuterium enrichments [1,2] fall into these three intermediate Raman groups. This relationship of the hydrogen isotopic compositions with the Raman data suggests different carbonaceous carrier phases for deuterium depletions and enrichments. Particles from Raman groups 5 and 6, whose spectra show little or no evidence for the presence of carbonaceous material, show deuterium abundances within the range of terrestrial rocks. In general, there is no obvious relationship between Raman groups and infrared classes which are based on the 10 μm absorption band due to silicates. In part, this is due to the fact that no Raman bands for silicates are seen, although silicates are known to be present from infrared and analytical electron microscopic measurements. The lack of silicate bands indicates that the silicate grains are coated with and/or imbedded in a carbonaceous material, which is presumably the reason that the particles look black in the visible. Several particles also show broad visible laser-induced photoluminescence, which is also probably produced by a carbonaceous component.     

基于实测高光谱数据的鄱阳湖湿地植被光谱差异波段提取

高光谱遥感技术的出现为有效解决湿地植被种类的精细识别和分类提供了可能.通过实地测取鄱阳湖湿地5种植被的高光谱数据,在对数据预处理的基础上,提出一种基于数据误差范围和植被光谱均值差的植被光谱差异波段提取方法.将该方法应用于包络线变换前后的光谱曲线提取植被的光谱差异波段,最后利用马氏距离法检验植被识别效果.结果表明:本文中的方法有效提取了植被光谱差异波段,其中变换前光谱差异波段分别为663~688 nm,变换后为581~636、660~695和1225~1236 nm.在光谱差异波段范围内,同种植被的马氏距离值小于异种植被的马氏距离值,可有效对植被进行识别.研究结果为湿地植被分类识别奠定了理论基础,同时为湖泊湿地植被以及湖泊生态环境的保护决策提供科学依据.     

Experimental study of gold activation-transportation in the process of potash metasomatism-alteration——North China platform gold deposit taken as an example

Chemical reactions of plagioclase, biotite and their singleminerals, as well as a mineral mixture of (plagioclase +biotite+quartz), with KCl and (KCl+KHCO3) solutions were carried out at 150400℃ and 5080 MPa. Experiments show that alkaline fluid promotes plagioclase’s changing into potash feldspar, while acid fluid helps plagioclase, potash feldspar and biotite alteration form chlorite and sericite. After chemical reaction the acidity-alkalinity of solutions often changes reversely. It was observed that gold dissolved from the tube wall and recrystallized on the surfaces of biotite and pyrite. Therefore the transportation and enrichment of gold are related to the elementary effect of the fluid-mineral interfaces. Fe3+-Fe2+, as an oxidition-reduction agent, and volatile components Cl? and CO2 play important roles in the reaction process.     

天然麻粒岩高温流变实验研究

本实验在气体介质三轴高温流变仪上,采用怀安瓦窑口麻粒岩,在温度900～1200℃、围压300 MPa、应变速率10~(-4)～10~(-6)/s条件下,开展高温流变实验.实验样品麻粒岩由斜长石(52%)、单斜辉石和斜方辉石(40%)、石英(3%)、磁铁矿和钛铁矿(5%)组成,矿物平均粒度为:斜长石294μm、单斜辉石和斜方辉石282μm、石英97μm、磁铁矿和钛铁矿109μm.利用傅里叶变换红外光谱仪分析获得变形后样品的水含量约为0.17±0.05wt%.实验样品的强度随温度升高而降低,随应变速率降低而降低.基于力学数据,采用稳态流变方程,获得实验样品在900～1000℃时的应力指数为8.1～12.9,在1050～1150℃时的应力指数为4.8～5.8,平均值5.2.应力指数随着温度升高而降低.显微结构和成分分析表明,在900℃时麻粒岩出现矿物压扁与定向拉长特征,样品以位错滑移和微破裂变形为主;在950～1000℃时,麻粒岩样品中颗粒边界变得圆滑,表现出位错攀移特征,辉石和磁铁矿边缘出现微量熔体;在1050～1200℃时麻粒岩出现部分熔融,而且随着温度和实验时间(应变)增加,熔体含量增加,熔体结晶出微粒斜长石、辉石和橄榄石,部分辉石通过固体反应生成橄榄石.颗粒边界熔体和矿物反应促进了扩散作用,导致位错攀移和熔体引起的扩散蠕变共同控制了麻粒岩的高温流变.     

Phase relations and P–T conditions of the Ryoke pelitic and psammitic metamorphic rocks in the Ina district, Central Japan

The Ina district of the Ryoke Belt is divided into two mineral zones, based on the mineral parageneses of the pelitic and psammitic rocks at the peak metamorphism. A biotite–muscovite zone (quartz + plagioclase + biotite + muscovite with or without K-feldspar) constitutes the northwestern part, and a biotite–cordierite–K-feldspar zone (quartz + plagioclase + biotite + cordierite + K-feldspar) comprises the central to southern and eastern parts. The isograd reaction between two mineral zones is defined by a divariant reaction: Mg-rich biotite + muscovite + quartz = Fe-rich biotite + cordierite + K-feldspar + H₂O (1), which, in the K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O (KFMASH) system, occurs at ∼ 590 °C at 0.2 GPa and 660 °C at 0.4 GPa. Fibrolite accompanied by andalusite porphyroblasts in aluminous pelitic rocks of the biotite–muscovite zone and the low-grade part of the biotite–cordierite–K-feldspar zone, suggests that sillimanite was the stable aluminosilicate at the peak metamorphic condition throughout the area. In the high-grade part of the biotite–cordierite–K-feldspar zone, fibrolite mostly occurs as inclusions in cordierite or in plagioclase. The phase relations and the compositional zoning of plagioclase in relation to fibrolite inclusions suggest that fibrolite was formed under relatively high-pressure conditions, and that partial melting took place.     

Water contents and deformation mechanism in ductile shear zone of middle crust along the Red River fault in southwestern China

Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), we measured water contents of quartz and feldspar for four thin sections of felsic mylonite and two thin sections of banded granitic gneiss col- lected from a ductile shear zone of middle crust along the Red Rivers-Ailaoshan active fault. The ab- sorbance spectra and peak position suggest that water in quartz and feldspar of granitic gneiss and felsic mylonite occurs mainly as hydroxyl in crystal defect, but also contains inclusion water and grain boundary water. The water contents of minerals were calculated based on the absorbance spectra. Water content of feldspar in granitic gneiss is 0.05 wt%-0.15 wt%, and that of quartz 0.03 wt%-0.09 wt%. Water content of feldspar ribbon and quartz ribbon in felsic mylonite is 0.095 wt%-0.32 wt%, and those of fine-grained feldspar and quartz are 0.004 wt%-0.052 wt%. These data show that the water content of weakly deformed feldspar and quartz ribbons is much higher than that of strongly deformed fine-grained feldspar and quartz. This suggests that strong shear deformation leads to breakage of the structures of constitutional water, inclusion and grain boundary water in feldspar and quartz, and most of water in minerals of mylonite is released to the upper layer in the crust.     

Petrogenetic modeling of rock variety in the Khalkhab–Neshveh pluton,NW of Saveh,Iran

The Khalkhab–Neshveh (KN) pluton is a part of Urumieh–Dokhtar Magmatic Arc and was intruded into a covering of basalt and andesite of Eocene to early Miocene age. It is a medium to high‐K, metaluminous and I‐type pluton ranging in composition from quartz monzogabbro, through quartz monzodiorite, granodiorite, and granite. The KN rocks show subtle differentiation trends strongly controlled by clinopyroxene, plagioclase, hornblende, apatite, and titanite, where most major elements (except K₂O) are negatively correlated with SiO₂; and Al₂O₃, Na₂O, Sr, Eu, and Y define curvilinear trends. Considering three processes of magmatic differentiation including mixing and/or mingling between basaltic and dacitic magmas, gravitational fractional crystallization and in situ crystallization revealed that the latter is the most likely process for the evolution of KN magma. This is supported by the occurrence of all rock types at the same level, the lack of mafic enclaves in the granitoid rocks, the curvilinear trends of Na₂O, Sr, and Eu, and the constant ratios of (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i from quartz monzodiorite to granite (0.70475 and 0.70471, respectively). In situ crystallization took place via accumulation of plagioclase and clinopyroxene phenocrysts and concentration of these phases in the quartz monzogabbro and quartz monzodiorite at the margins of the intrusion at T ≥ 1050°C, and by filter pressing and fractionation of hornblende, plagioclase, and later biotite in the granitoids at T = ～880°C.     

Shock metamorphism of some rock-forming minerals

The shock metamorphism of schist consisting of garnet, biotite, quartz, and plagioclase is studied under shock wave loading of a sample in steel recovery ampoules of plane geometry. A maximum shock pressure was reached during several circulations of waves in the sample (stepwise shock compression) and varied within the range 19–52 GPa. The recovered samples were examined by the methods of scanning electron microscopy and microprobe and X-ray phase analysis. The results were compared with natural impactites and with shock-induced alterations in minerals loaded by a spherical convergent wave. It is established that, given a plane geometry of loading (stepwise shock compression), solid-state transformations at the lattice level (migration of chemical elements and formation of shock thermal aggregates) are not observed in all of the studied minerals, in contrast to natural impact processes and spherical geometry experiments. Under the conditions of our experiments, minerals melt at higher pressures than in the case of natural impact processes and spherical geometry experiments. However, for each mineral studied, the mechanical strain patterns at close shock pressures are, on the whole, the same for all of the aforementioned three variants of shock wave loading.     

Petrology and chemistry of two “large” granite clasts from the moon

Pristine granite clasts in Apollo-14 breccias 14321 and 14303 have estimated masses of 1.8 and 0.17 g, respectively. The 14321 clast is ～ 60% K-feldspar and 40% quartz, with traces of extremely Mg-poor mafic silicates and ilmenite. The 14303 clast is roughly 33% plagioclase, 32% K-feldspar, 23% quartz, 11% pyroxene, and 1% ilmenite; pyroxene and ilmenite are moderately Mg-rich; plagioclase and pyroxene are strongly zoned. Both clasts are severely brecciated, but monomict (pristine). Both have abundant graphic intergrowths of K-feldspar with quartz. Unlike the majority of similar Earth rocks, both clasts are devoid of hydrous phases. The bulk composition of the 14321 clast is similar to those of several other lunar granitic samples, but the 14303 clast is unique: it bears as close a resemblance to KREEP as it does to other lunar granites. Silicate liquid immiscibility may explain why the granites are low in REE relative to KREEP.     

Metamorphic petrology of the Barchi–Kol metabasites, western Kokchetav ultrahigh-pressure–high-pressure massif, northern Kazakhstan

Abstract In the Barchi–Kol area, located at the westernmost part of the Kokchetav ultrahigh pressure (UHP) to high-pressure (HP) massif, northern Kazakhstan, metabasites from the epidote amphibolite (EA) facies to the coesite eclogite (CEC) facies are exposed. Based on the equilibrium mineral assemblages, the Barchi–Kol area is divided into four zones: A, B, C and D. Zone A is characterized by the assemblage: epidote + hornblende + plagioclase + quartz, with minor garnet. Zone B is characterized by the assemblage: garnet + hornblende + plagioclase + quartz + zoisite. Zone C is defined by the appearance of sodic–augite, with typical assemblage: garnet + sodic–augite + tschermakite–pargasite + quartz ± plagioclase ± epidote/clinozoisite. Zone D is characterized by the typical eclogite assemblage: garnet + omphacite + quartz + rutile, with minor phengite and zoisite. Inclusions of quartz pseudomorph after coesite were identified in several samples of zone D. Chemical compositions of rock-forming minerals of each zone were analyzed and reactions between each zone were estimated. Metamorphic P-T conditions of each zone were estimated using several geothermobarometers as 8.6 ± 0.5 kbar, 500 ± 30 °C for zone A; 11.7 ± 0.5 kbar, 700 ± 30 °C for zone B; 12–14 kbar, 700–815 °C for zone C; and 27–40 kbar, 700–825 °C for zone D.     

Physical structure features of the crust at southeast region of Tibetan Plateau

Chemical reactions of plagioclase, biotite and their single minerals, as well as a mineral mixture of (plagioclase+biotite+quartz), with KCl and (KCl+KHCO₃) solutions were carried out at 150–400°C and 50–80 MPa. Experiments show that alkaline fluid promotes plagioclase’s changing into potash feldspar, while acid fluid helps plagioclase, potash feldspar and biotite alteration form chlorite and sericite. After chemical reaction the acidity-alkalinity of solutions often changes reversely. It was observed that gold dissolved from the tube wall and recrystallized on the surfaces of biotite and pyrite. Therefore the transportation and enrichment of gold are related to the elementary effect of the fluid-mineral interfaces. Fe³⁺-Fe²⁺, as an oxidition-reduction agent, and volatile components Cl^- and CO₂ play important roles in the reaction process     

芬兰海岸带水域蓝藻水华遥感监测

MODIS-Terra和MERIS数据被用于芬兰湾蓝藻水华的监测,并对两者的性能进行了比较.研究结果表明:MODIS-Terra 波段设置主要针对一类大洋水体,缺乏预警藻蓝素的有效波段;MERIS传感器设置了620nm和665nm波段,基本对应藻蓝素的吸收峰(630nm)和反射峰(650nm),具有蓝藻水华探测的潜力,但在藻华未成型之前,海岸带水体不同优势藻类具有相似的叶绿紊特征,较难辨别蓝藻水华.总的来说,MODlS和MERIS数据比较困难实现蓝藻水华初期预警,但可以有效监测已成型的蓝藻水华.这一方法可以用于中国太湖或者海岸带水体藻华探测和监测研究.     

Excess40Ar in metamorphic rocks from Broken Hill,New South Wales: implications for40Ar/39Ar age spectra and the thermal history of the region

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectrum analyses of samples from Broken Hill, New South Wales, indicate that the region has experienced a complex thermal history following high-grade metamorphism, 1660 Ma ago. The terrain cooled slowly (～3°C Ma^?1) until about 1570 Ma ago, when the temperature fell below about 500°C. Following granitoid emplacement ～1500 Ma ago, the region remained relatively cold until affected by a thermal pulse 520±40Ma ago, causing temperatures to rise to～350°C in some places. During this event, accumulated⁴⁰Ar was released from minerals causing a significant Ar partial pressure to develop. Laboratory Ar solubility data combined with the⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra gives a local estimate of this partial pressure of ～10^?4atm. The region finally cooled below 100°C about 280 Ma ago.⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectrum analyses of hornblende, plagioclase and clinopyroxene containing excess⁴⁰Ar are characterized by saddle-shaped age spectra. Detailed analysis of plagioclase samples reveals a complex diffusion behaviour, which is controlled by exsolution structures. This effect, in conjunction with the presumed different lattice occupancy of excess⁴⁰Ar with respect to radiogenic⁴⁰Ar, appears to be responsible for the saddle-shaped age spectra.