Cold subduction of the Neotethys: the metamorphic record from finely banded lawsonite and epidote blueschists and associated metabasalts of the Nagaland Ophiolite Complex,India

In this study, we have deduced the thermal history of the subducting Neotethys from its eastern margin, using a suite of partially hydrated metabasalts from a segment of the Nagaland Ophiolite Complex (NOC), India. Located along the eastern extension of the Indus‐Tsangpo suture zone (ITSZ), the N–S‐trending NOC lies between the Indian and Burmese plates. The metabasalts, encased within a serpentinitic mélange, preserve a tectonically disturbed metamorphic sequence, which from west to east is greenschist (GS), pumpellyite–diopside (PD) and blueschist (BS) facies. Metabasalts in all the three metamorphic facies record prograde metamorphic overprints directly on primary igneous textures and igneous augite. In the BS facies unit, the metabasalts interbedded with marble show centimetre‐ to metre‐scale interlayering of lawsonite blueschist (LBS) and epidote blueschist (EBS). Prograde HP/LT metamorphism stabilized lawsonite + omphacite (X_Jd = 0.50–0.56 to 0.26–0.37) + jadeite (X_Jd = 0.67–0.79) + augite + ferroglaucophane + high‐Si phengite (Si = 3.6–3.65 atoms per formula unit, a.p.f.u.) + chlorite + titanite + quartz in LBS and lawsonite + glaucophane/ferroglaucophane ± epidote ± omphacite (X_Jd = 0.34) + chlorite + phengite (Si = 3.5 a.p.f.u.) + titanite + quartz in EBS at the metamorphic peak. Retrograde alteration, which was pervasive in the EBS, produced a sequence of mineral assemblages from omphacite and lawsonite‐absent, epidote + glaucophane/ferroglaucophane + chlorite + phengite + titanite + quartz through albite + chlorite + glaucophane to lawsonite + albite + high‐Si phengite (Si = 3.6–3.7 a.p.f.u.) + glaucophane + epidote + quartz. In the PD facies metabasalts, the peak mineral assemblage, pumpellyite + chlorite + titanite + phengitic white mica (Si = 3.4–3.5 a.p.f.u.) + diopside appeared in the basaltic groundmass from reacting titaniferous augite and low‐Si phengite, with prehnite additionally producing pumpellyite in early vein domains. In the GS facies metabasalts, incomplete hydration of augite produced albite + epidote + actinolite + chlorite + titanite + phengite + augite mineral assemblage. Based on calculated T–M(H₂O), T–M(O₂) (where M represents oxide mol.%) and P–T pseudosections, peak P–T conditions of LBS are estimated at ~11.5 kbar and ~340 °C, EBS at ~10 kbar, 325 °C and PD facies at ~6 kbar, 335 °C. Reconstructed metamorphic reaction pathways integrated with the results of P–T pseudosection modelling define a near‐complete, hairpin, clockwise P–T loop for the BS and a prograde P–T path with a steep dP/dT for the PD facies rocks. Apparent low thermal gradient of 8 °C km^?1 corresponding to a maximum burial depth of 40 km and the hairpin P–T trajectory together suggest a cold and mature stage of an intra‐oceanic subduction zone setting for the Nagaland blueschists. The metamorphic constraints established above when combined with petrological findings from the ophiolitic massifs along the whole ITSZ suggest that intra‐oceanic subduction systems within the Neotethys between India and the Lhasa terrane/the Karakoram microcontinent were also active towards east between Indian and Burmese plates.     

从洋壳俯冲到陆壳俯冲和碰撞：来自羌塘中西部地区榴辉岩和蓝片岩地球化学的证据

羌塘中部晚三叠世低温/高压变质带是目前青藏高原内部延伸规模最大的高压变质带,但大量关键高压变质岩石出露地区地球化学资料匮乏,严重制约了对高压变质带原岩建造以及构造演化的全面认识。本文以羌塘中西部地区尚无地球化学资料的果干加年山榴辉岩和红脊山蓝片岩为研究对象,进行了系统的地球化学以及原岩恢复工作。研究表明,果干加年山榴辉岩呈透镜状产于围岩石榴石多硅白云母片岩和少量大理岩中,其原岩为亚碱性玄武岩,具有较低的稀土总量(∑REE=51.19×10-6~59.43×10-6)和轻稀土亏损的特征[(La/Yb)N=0.59~0.70],不具有Nb、Ta、Ti的亏损,与典型的N-MORB特征一致,暗示其原岩可能来源于亏损的地幔源区,形成于洋中脊环境。红脊山地区基性蓝片岩的原岩为碱性玄武岩-亚碱性玄武岩,具有高的TiO2(2.97%~4.14%)和P2O5(0.29%~0.48%)含量,富集轻稀土元素[(La/Yb)N=6.10~11.6]和高场强元素,地球化学特征类似于OIB。但是这些基性蓝片岩与大量的陆源碎屑岩伴生产出,且具有明显的硅铝质上地壳物质混染的特征,与南羌塘地区二叠纪大陆板内基性岩墙的产出特征以及地壳混染特征一致,可能是其俯冲消减的产物。通过本文研究结果并结合区域内已识别出的E-MORB型洋壳和洋岛/海山物质深俯冲的证据,我们认为羌塘中部晚三叠世高压变质带以洋壳物质深俯冲为主,同时亦保留了部分陆壳物质俯冲的证据,暗示大洋向北俯冲消减结束之后,又牵引至少一部分南羌塘北缘陆壳物质经历了随后的俯冲过程。     

地壳俯冲与折返过程的变质作用演化:来自高压-超高压榴辉岩相平衡模拟的证据

本文以大别山双河柯石英榴辉岩为基础,在NCKMnFMASHO体系中计算了P-T、T-M(H₂O)和P-M(H₂O)一系列相图。这些相图表明在地壳冷俯冲(地热梯度约为6℃·km^-1)过程中饱和水的变质基性岩通过脱水反应导致矿物组合演化,随着P-T条件增加,约在2.2GPa(80km)处,绿泥石被滑石取代,在2.4GPa处,蓝闪石消失,在2.5GPa处,滑石消失,在2.9GPa(105km)处,硬柱石消失。相应地可出现硬柱石蓝片岩、蓝闪石-硬柱石榴辉岩、硬柱石榴辉岩和多硅白云母榴辉岩等高压-超高压组合。俯冲基性岩中即使含有很少量的水(如0.3%~0.5%),都会在超高压硬柱石榴辉岩相条件下达到饱和。因此硬柱石会广泛出现于经历冷俯冲地壳的变质基性岩中。高压-超高压榴辉岩的折返过程受折返温度及峰期矿物组合的控制。当峰期矿物组合中含有硬柱石(±蓝闪石±滑石,T=540~600℃)时,其早期折返发生在硬柱石稳定域,受脱水反应控制,难以保存峰期矿物组合;晚期折返发生在绿帘石稳定域,岩石处于流体缺失状态,有利于保存硬柱石消失后的高压矿物组合。当峰期矿物组合中含有绿泥石、硬柱石和蓝闪石时(T<540℃),其折返过程中的脱水作用仅发生在硬柱石与绿帘石共生的狭窄区域,在硬柱石稳定域的早期折返与绿帘石稳定域的晚期折返阶段,都不发生脱水作用,岩石处于流体缺失状态,因此,虽然峰期形成的硬柱石难以保存,但峰期形成的其他矿物可能仅受轻微改造。当硬柱石消失 (T>600℃) 后,多硅白云母高压-超高压榴辉岩中含有很少量水,在早期折返过程中的很大压力范围内,岩石保持水含量不变,更容易保留峰期矿物组合。高压-超高压榴辉岩在减压至1.5GPa以下时,由于外来流体注入,发生部分水化,形成含有钠钙质、钙质角闪石榴辉岩, 它们一般不是平衡矿物组合。榴辉岩中名义上的无水矿物在减压过程中释放的水有助于榴辉岩部分水化,但不足以形成水饱和的斜长角闪岩。     

Chloritoid and barroisite-bearing pelitic schists from the eclogite unit in the Besshi district, Sanbagawa metamorphic belt

The Sanbagawa metamorphic rocks in the Besshi district, central Shikoku, are grouped into eclogite and noneclogite units. Chloritoid and barroisite-bearing pelitic schists occur as interlayers within basic schist in an eclogite unit of the Seba area in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt, central Shikoku, Japan. Major matrix phases of the schists are garnet, chlorite, barroisite, paragonite, phengite, and quartz. Eclogite facies phases including chloritoid and talc are preserved only as inclusions in garnet. P–T conditions for the eclogite facies stage estimated using equilibria among chloritoid, barroisite, chlorite, interlayered chlorite–talc, paragonite, and garnet are 1.8 GPa/520–550 °C. Zonal structures of garnet and matrix amphibole show discontinuous growth of minerals between their core and mantle parts, implying the following metamorphic stages: prograde eclogite facies stage→hydration reaction stage→prograde epidote–amphibolite stage. This metamorphic history suggests that the Seba eclogite lithologies were (1) juxtaposed with subducting noneclogite lithologies during exhumation and then (2) progressively recrystallized under the epidote–amphibolite facies together with the surrounding noneclogite lithologies.

The pelitic schists in the Seba eclogite unit contain paragonite of two generations: prograde phase of the eclogite facies included in garnet and matrix phase produced by local reequilibration of sodic pyroxene-bearing eclogite facies assemblages during exhumation. Paragonite is absent in the common Sanbagawa basic and pelitic schists, and is, however, reported from restricted schists from several localities near the proposed eclogite unit in the Besshi district. These paragonite-bearing schists could be lower-pressure equivalents of the former eclogite facies rocks and are also members of the eclogite unit. This idea implies that the eclogite unit is more widely distributed in the Besshi district than previously thought.     

Petrology of ultrahigh-pressure eclogites from the ZK703 drillhole in the Donghai, eastern China

The 558-m-deep ZK703 drillhole located near Donghai in the southern part of the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic belt, eastern China, penetrates alternating layers of eclogites, gneisses, jadeite quartzites, garnet peridotites, phengite–quartz schists, and kyanite quartzites. The preservation of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic minerals and their relics, together with the contact relationship and protolith types of the various rocks indicates that these are metamorphic supracrustal rocks and mafic-ultramafic rock assemblages that have experienced in-situ ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism. The eclogites can be divided into five types based on accessory minerals: rutile eclogite, phengite eclogite, kyanite–phengite eclogite, quartz eclogite, and common eclogite with rare minor minerals. Rutile eclogite forms a thick layer in the drillhole that contains sufficient rutile for potential mining. Two retrograde assemblages are observed in the eclogites: the first stage is characterized by the formation of sodic plagioclase+amphibole symplectite or symplectitic coronas after omphacite and garnet, plagioclase+biotite after garnet or phengite, and plagioclase coronas after kyanite; the second stage involved total replacement of omphacite and garnet by amphibole+albite+epidote+quartz. Peak metamorphic P–T conditions of the eclogites were around 32 to 40 kbar and 720°C to 880°C. The retrograde P–T path of the eclogites is characterized by rapidly decreasing pressure with slightly decreasing temperature. Micro-textures and compositional variations in symplectitic minerals suggest that the decompression breakdown of ultrahigh-pressure minerals is a domainal equilibrium reaction or disequilibrium reaction. The composition of the original minerals and the diffusion rate of elements involved in these reactions controlled the symplectitic mineral compositions.     

超高压变质过程中的元素地球化学行为——CCSD主孔榴辉岩的矿物化学研究

中国大陆科学钻探主孔位于江苏东海县,苏鲁超高压变质带的南部.该钻孔的0～2050m深度获取了六种不同类型的榴辉岩和少量石榴石辉石岩岩心,它们是典型的基性超高压变质岩,为研究大陆深俯冲过程中的元素地球化学行为提供了非常好的样品.本文对各种超高压变质矿物的微量元素成分进行了系统的原位微区分析,结合全岩化学成分和矿物主量元素成分,深入地研究了超高压变质岩的微量元素赋存特征、分配规律、控制因素,及其对变质条件和流体.岩石相互作用的限定意义.结果表明,超高压榴辉岩中的LREE和Sr主要赋存在磷灰石、帘石和单斜辉石中,HREE赋存在石榴石中,Ba、Rb和Cs等LILE赋存在多硅白云母中,Ti、Nb和Ta等HFSE主要赋存在金红石、钛铁矿中,V、Sc、Co和Ni等元素大多赋存在石榴石和单斜辉石中.研究表明,全岩化学成分和矿物组成、及其含量的变化明显控制着超高压矿物的微量元素含量和分布形式.本研究也获得了如下重要的认识超高压变质矿物之间的微量元素分配达到了化学平衡,并具有与地幔榴辉岩矿物之间类似的分配系数,表明榴辉岩的峰期变质温度很可能达到900℃～1000℃.部分高Ti和高Fe-Ti榴辉岩中的石榴石和绿辉石有明显的稀土元素成分环带,表明超高压变质岩经历了快速折返过程.金红石的Zr含量明显受到全岩成分和退变质作用影响,并不仅仅与形成温度有关,不是可靠的温度计.在超临界流体的作用下,榴辉岩中金红石的Nb、Ta发生了明显的分异,导致其Nb/Ta比值增大,由此推测俯冲到地幔深处的大量榴辉岩是地球内部高Nb/Ta比值的物质源区.在榴辉岩的不同程度退变质阶段,参与变质反应的流体具有不同的来源、成分和流体活动规模.     

Petrology and metamorphism of glaucophane eclogites in Changning-Menglian suture zone,Bangbing area,southeast Tibetan Plateau: An evidence for Paleo-Tethyan subduction

High/ultrahigh-pressure (HP/UHP) metamorphic complexes, such as eclogite and blueschist, are generally regarded as significant signature of paleo-subduction zones and paleo-suture zones. Glaucophane eclogites have been recently identified within the Lancang Group characterized by accretionary mélange in the Changning-Menglian suture zone, at Bangbing in the Shuangjiang area of southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The authors report the result of petrological, mineralogical and metamorphism investigations of these rocks, and discuss their tectonic implications. The eclogites are located within the Suyi blueschist belt and occur as tectonic lenses in coarse-grained garnet muscovite schists. The major mineral assemblage of the eclogites includes garnet, omphacite, glaucophane, phengite, clinozoisite and rutile. Eclogitic garnet contains numerous inclusions, such as omphacite, glaucophane, rutile, and quartz with radial cracks around. Glaucophane and clinozoisite in the matrix have apparent optical and compositional zonation. Four stages of metamorphic evolution can be determined: The prograde blueschist facies (M₁), the peak eclogite facies (M₂), the decompression blueschist facies (M₃) and retrograde greenschist facies (M₄). Using the Grt-Omp-Phn geothermobarometer, a peak eclogite facies metamorphic P-T condition of 3000–3270 MPa and 617–658°C was determined, which is typical of low-temperature ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism. The comparison of the geological characteristics of the Bangbing glaucophane eclogites and the Mengku lawsonite-bearing retrograde eclogites indicates that two suites of eclogites may have formed from significantly different depths or localities to create the tectonic mélange in a subduction channel during subduction of the Triassic Changning-Menglian Ocean. The discovery of the Bangbing glaucophane eclogites may represent a new oceanic HP/UHP metamorphic belt in the Changning-Menglian suture zone.©2021 China Geology Editorial Office.     

Petrogenesis of UHP metamorphic rocks from Qinglongshan, southern Sulu, east-central China

Five kinds of UHP metamorphic rocks, including eclogite, orthogneiss, paragneiss, schist and quartzite are exposed in the Qinglongshan roadcut, southern Sulu orogenic belt of eastern central China. They comprise metamorphic supracrustal rocks with bimodal volcanic characteristics and continental affinity, and granitic intrusive associations. The preservation of coesite inclusions and/or its pseudomorphs in eclogite and other rocks indicate that they have been subjected to in-situ UHP metamorphism. Four stages of metamorphism were recognized by combining petrographic observations and compositions of minerals from various UHP rocks. Prograde epidote-amphibolite facies, UHP coesite–eclogite facies, post UHP quartz–eclogite facies, and retrograde amphibolite facies assemblages delineate an inferred P–T path with a clockwise trajectory and a retrograde event characterized by the coupling of decompression with a temperature decrease. Garnet porphyroblasts in UHP eclogites display a complex growth zoning and mineral distribution, and record a crucial segment of the prograde and retrograde metamorphic evolution. The preservation of growth zoning in eclogitic and gneissic garnets suggests that the UHP rocks had a short residence time before retrograde metamorphism and a very high uplift rate in order to preserve the prograde growth zoning.     

大陆板片多重性俯冲与折返的动力学模式——苏鲁高压-超高压变质地体的折返年龄限定

苏鲁高压超高压变质地体自南而北由高压(HP)、很高压(VHP)和超高压(UHP)变质叠覆岩片组成,前者依次叠覆在后者之上,岩片之间的界限为韧性剪切带。根据超高压变质岩片中角闪岩相岩石与高压变质岩片中绿片岩相岩石的黑云母和白云母Ar_Ar和Rb_Sr测年新结果,结合前人在该区所做的锆石SHRI MP U_Pb、全岩Sm_Nd、Rb_Sr等测年数据综合分析表明,超高压变质岩石的峰期变质年龄为240~220Ma,折返年龄为220~200Ma;而高压变质岩石的峰期变质年龄大于258Ma,起始折返年龄为258~240Ma,折返年龄比超高压变质岩石早30~40Ma。这说明扬子板片并不是整体俯冲和折返的。由于具组分和密度差异,俯冲板块的不同部位沿岩性或构造界面先后分片俯冲和折返,在北苏鲁超高压变质板片开始俯冲时,南苏鲁高压变质板片已开始折返。     

Geochemistry of eclogites from the Dabie–Sulu terrane, eastern China: New insights into protoliths and trace element behaviour during UHP metamorphism

The major and trace element compositions of nine eclogites from the Dabie–Sulu ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane in eastern China were determined for both whole rock and the main constituent minerals, garnet and clinopyroxene. The results indicate that the eclogite protoliths originated from a basaltic magma, which formed in a continental setting as shown by isotopic and immobile element data. Based on the garnet REE characteristics, the eclogites can be roughly divided into two groups. Group 1 has LREE enrichment with no Eu anomaly for whole rock, and smooth LREE depletion but HREE enrichment pattern for garnet, whereas group 2 shows a depletion of LREE with a pronounced positive Eu anomaly and flat HREE pattern for both whole rock and garnet. From these features, we suggest that the protoliths for group 2 are Fe–Ti–gabbros with relatively high cumulus plagioclase and Fe–Ti oxide, whereas the group 1 eclogites are probably from basalts. Therefore, the unusual garnet REE pattern observed in group 2 can be considered as an important signature for identifying gabbro protoliths for eclogites. The identification of gabbro protoliths from the eclogites in the Dabie–Sulu terrane provides evidence for Neoproterozoic rift magmatism in the northern margin of the Yangtze craton. During ultrahigh pressure metamorphism in the Dabie–Sulu terrane, LILEs (including Ba, Rb, Th, U, K) had high mobility, but REEs and HFSEs were immobile, and trace element distribution equilibrium was approached between garnet and clinopyroxene. An estimate of mass balance indicates that garnet and clinopyroxene host the majority of HREEs and Y, and clinopyroxene is a significant host for Sr, but minor and accessory minerals predominantly account for LREEs, Th, U, and Zr.     

Triassic blueschists and eclogites from northwest Turkey: vestiges of the Paleo-Tethyan subduction

Triassic eclogite and blueschist facies rocks occur as a thrust sheet, 25-km long and over 2-km thick, in an Eocene fold-and-thrust belt in northwest Turkey along the zmir–Ankara suture. The thrust sheet consists mainly of metabasites with minor marble, phyllite and metachert, and rare lenses of serpentinite. The common blueschist facies mineral assemblage in the metabasites is sodic amphibole+epidote+albite+chlorite+phengite±garnet. Sodic amphibole commonly shows replacement by barroisite, and there is continuous petrographic transition from blueschist–metabasites to barroisite-bearing epidote–amphibolites. Eclogite with the mineral assemblage of garnet+sodic pyroxene+sodic–calcic amphibole+epidote is found only in one locality. P–T conditions of the epidote–blueschist facies metamorphism are estimated as 450±50 °C and 11±2 kbar. The blueschist formation was followed by a decrease in pressure and increase in temperature, leading to the development of barroisite-bearing epidote–amphibolites. Phengite, sodic amphibole and barroisite Ar/Ar ages from three metabasic rocks range between 215 and 205 Ma, and indicate Late Triassic high-pressure metamorphism. The Triassic blueschists in northwest Turkey constitute part of a much larger allochthonous tectonic unit of Triassic mafic volcanic rocks. They probably represent the upper layers of a Triassic oceanic plateau, which was accreted to the Laurasian margin during the latest Triassic. The close spatial association of the Triassic and Cretaceous blueschists along the zmir–Ankara suture suggests that the suture represents a long-lived plate boundary of Late Palaeozoic to early Tertiary age.     

榴辉岩退变质过程中的微量元素地球化学行为：对CCSD主孔退变质榴辉岩的研究

对中国大陆科学钻探工程主孔榴辉岩退变质过程中的微量元素地球化学行为进行了研究。对退变质程度连续变化样品的不同部分的对比研究表明，流体作用下的退变质过程中大离子亲石元素（Cs、Rb、Ba、Sr、K、Th、U）和轻稀土元素表现出较大的活动性，重稀土元素和高场强元素变化相对较小。退变质后大离子亲石元素的显著增加和高场强元素、重稀土元素的轻微变化（甚至相对降低），表明与退变质作用有关的流体中的络阴离子含量很少，并不富集高场强元素和重稀土元素。退变质后总体上表现出的Si、大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素的明显变化，表明外来流体参与了榴辉岩的退变质过程，带入和带出了一些元素。结合榴辉岩中单矿物微量元素组成以及前人对D^Mineral/Fluid的研究成果，对流体-榴辉岩作用形成的退变质分带（富石英条带→角闪岩→退变质榴辉岩→新鲜榴辉岩）的微量元素组成变化进行了详细研究。结果表明在流体作用下的榴辉岩退变质过程中，大离子亲石元素、轻稀土元素和高场强元素含量的变化除了受退变质流体性质的影响外，更大程度上取决于退变质过程中的矿物相（尤其是副矿物）的变化。     

Formation and preservation of fresh lawsonite: Geothermobarometry of the North Makran Blueschists,southeast Iran

A low‐grade metamorphic “Coloured Mélange” in North Makran (SE Iran) contains lenses and a large klippe of low temperature, lawsonite‐bearing blueschists formed during the Cretaceous closure of the Tethys Ocean. The largest blueschist outcrop is a >1,000 m thick coherent unit with metagabbros overlain by interlayered metabasalts and metavolcanoclastic rocks. Blueschist metamorphism is only incipient in coarse‐grained rocks, whereas finer grained, foliated samples show thorough metamorphic recrystallization. The low‐variance blueschist peak assemblage is glaucophane, lawsonite, titanite, jadeite±phengitic mica. Investigated phase diagram sections of three blueschists with different protoliths yield peak conditions of ~300–380°C at 9–14 kbar. Magnesio‐hornblende and rutile cores indicate early amphibolite facies metamorphism at >460°C and 2–4 kbar. Later conditions at slightly higher pressures of 6–9 kbar at 350–450°C are recorded by barroisite, omphacite and rutile assemblages before entering into the blueschist facies and finally following a retrograde path through the pumpellyite–actinolite facies across the lawsonite stability field. Assuming that metamorphic pressure is lithostatic pressure, the corresponding counterclockwise P–T path is explained by burial along a warm geothermal gradient (~15°C/km) in a young subduction system, followed by exhumation along a cold gradient (~8°C/km); a specific setting that allows preservation of fresh undecomposed lawsonite in glaucophane‐bearing rocks.     

Early Cambrian high pressure/low temperature metamorphism in the southeastern Tarim craton in response to circum-Gondwana cold subduction

The circum-Gondwana subduction initiated by the early Cambrian has been suggested to reflect the establishment of the modern plate tectonics. The metamorphic rocks with low thermobaric (T/P) ratios indicative of cold subduction in the present tectonic regime have not been well investigated. To better understand the circum-Gondwana subduction and to test its possible link with the emergence of the modern plate tectonics, this study focused on blueschist-facies metamorphic rocks in the Altyn Tagh of the southeastern Tarim craton. Mineral assemblage and chemistry, phase equilibrium modelling, and quartz-in-garnet Raman elastic geobarometry reveal that the zoisite blueschist and glaucophane (Gln)-bearing quartz schist in northern Altyn Tagh were metamorphosed to lawsonite to epidote blueschist-facies at 520–545 °C and 16–19 kbar. It reflects high-pressure (HP)/low temperature (LT) metamorphism with low T/P ratios of <300 °C/GPa and thermal gradients of <10 °C/km. These blueschist-facies metamorphic rocks underwent rapid decompression starting at P-T conditions of <495 °C and <9.6 kbar during exhumation. Ar-Ar geochronology records paragonite Ar-Ar plateau ages of 520–506 Ma for the zoisite blueschist samples and phengite Ar-Ar plateau ages of 522–516 Ma for the Gln-bearing quartz schist samples, suggesting that the peak HP/LT metamorphism occurred prior to ca. 522 Ma. Based on new results and available data from the major Gondwana blocks, cold subduction was suggested to profoundly operate along circum-Gondwana in the early Cambrian after the amalgamation of Gondwana. The extensive circum-Gondwana subduction represents the earliest global cold subduction in Earth’s history associated with the establishment of the modern plate tectonics, as directly recorded by the studied early Cambrian blueschist-facies metamorphic rocks and a dramatic drop in the mean T/P of metamorphism since the early Paleozoic.     

华北克拉通丰镇碳酸岩中榴辉岩捕虏体岩石学研究:现今板块体制古元古代开始启动证据

关于现今板块构造体制何时启动是目前地球科学研究的焦点问题。本文在原报道的古元古代丰镇火成碳酸岩中发现的榴辉岩捕虏体基础上,开展了详细的岩石学研究。该榴辉岩捕虏体分为两种类型:即相对富石榴石的Fz-2和贫石榴石的Fz-16,它们产于同一地点,且具有相同的矿物成分和结构构造特征。Xu et al.(2018)的研究表明该捕虏体具有1839±26Ma和1766±7Ma的独居石U-Th-Pb年龄且具有大洋辉长岩原岩的全岩成分特征。本文通过进一步的岩相学研究发现该榴辉岩至少经历了两期变质阶段:M1,角闪石/绿帘石-榴辉岩阶段;M2,硬柱石-榴辉岩阶段。具有放射状裂纹包裹特征的柯英石假象在石榴石变斑晶和基质绿辉石中以包体形式出现。以蓝晶石与黝帘石共存为特征的柱状硬柱石假象,也偶尔以包体形式存在于石榴石中。变斑晶石榴石分为富含包体的核部和比较干净的边部。石榴石从中心到边部具有明显的镁铝榴石含量增加和钙铝榴石含量降低的环带特征,通过相平衡模拟和等值线投图得到其温压范围为2.6~3.7GPa和655~670℃,记录了从M1到M2的近等温增压的进变质过程。通过石榴石边部-绿辉石-蓝晶石-石英的地质温压计计算得到温压条件为3.0GPa、734℃。金红石中的锆含量温度计也给出了相似的温度条件,即在2.6~3.7GPa压力时为601~685℃。石榴石边部的柯石英假象和硬柱石假象支持了M2硬柱石-榴辉岩阶段的存在,这表明丰镇古元古代榴辉岩可能是目前发现的世界上最古老的低温超高压变质岩。同时,我们得到该榴辉岩代表的进变质过程中的地温梯度为216±35℃/GPa,证明至少在~1.8Ga以来代表现今板块构造体制的板块冷俯冲作用就开始启动了。     

榴辉岩的地震波性质：对苏鲁超高压变质带地壳成分和折返机制的探讨

本总结了榴辉岩的高温高压弹性波速测量结果,并将其应用于苏鲁超高压变质带地震资料的解释。由于榴辉岩具有高密度和高波速,它们和长英质片麻岩、大理岩、石英岩、角闪岩、麻粒岩、蛇纹石化橄榄岩的界面可以产生强反射。如果俯冲的陆壳物质以榴辉岩与围岩互层的形式在上地幔保留下来,就可能在造山带的上地幔产生地震反射。根据CCSD孔区地震剖面所建立的地壳成分模型表明：苏鲁超高压带地壳浅部的高速层可归因于夹在花岗质片麻岩、副片麻岩、角闪岩等岩石中的榴辉岩和超基性岩;中地壳主要由中酸性片麻岩、斜长角闪岩和副片麻岩组成;下地壳以中基性麻粒岩为主。在该超高压变质带现今的深部地壳,榴辉岩含量很少或几乎没有。因此,折返的超高压变质岩是以构造岩片的形式沿一系列剪切带逆冲并覆盖在正常的中下地壳之上,深部榴辉岩的缺乏可能与下地壳拆沉作用无关。     

P–T paths reconstruction of a collisional event: The example of the Thiviers-Payzac Unit in the Variscan French Massif Central

Because of late metamorphic and tectonic overprints, the reconstruction of prograde parts of P–T paths is often difficult. In the SW Variscan French Massif Central, the Thiviers-Payzac Unit (TPU) is the uppermost allochthon emplaced above underlying units. The TPU experienced a Barrovian metamorphism coeval with a top-to-the-NW ductile shearing (D2 event) in Early Carboniferous times (ca. 360–350 Ma). The tectonic setting of the D2 event, compression or synconvergence extension, remains unclear. Using the THERMOCALC software and the model system MnNCKFMASH, the peak P–T conditions are estimated from garnet rims and matrix minerals and the prograde evolution is deduced from garnet core compositions. The combination of these two approaches demonstrates that the TPU experienced pressure and temperature increases before reaching peak conditions at 6.6–9.0 +/− 1.2 kbar and 615–655 +/− 35 °C. This kind of P–T path shows that the regional D2 event corresponds to crustal thickening.     

Formation of the Yakuno ophiolite; accretionary subduction under medium-pressure-type metamorphic conditions

The notion that the Yakuno ophiolite and overlying Maizuru Group represents an accretionary prism formed during the Permian evolution of Japan on the Yakuno eruptive sequence, association of hemipelagic mudstone with silicic tuff, exotic fossiliferous limestones derived from previously accreted sea-mounts, upward coarsening of sequences terrigenous sandstone and conglomerate, and mildly deformed Permian and Triassic forearc basin formations. The most important indicator, however, is the seaward imbrication and repetition observed in both the Maizuru Group and the ophiolite itself. D1 deformation structures include axial–planar foliations (pressure-solution cleavage for the Maizuru Group and granulite–amphibolite metamorphic layering in the ophiolite), flattening type strain, symmetric pressure shadows and fringes, and isoclinal folds showing axial–planar foliations and thrust faulting at their overturned limb. The exceptional asymmetry observed indicates seaward-directed shearing near the thrust, while D1 structures in the Maizuru zone are explained by off-scraping, above the basal decollement. The later Jurassic D2 kink fold structure includes a first-order asymmetric kink with a brittle thrust at its overturned limb, more-or-less coeval with M2 retrograde metamorphism. Medium-pressure M1 prograde metamorphism in the Yakuno ophiolite produced layering of granulite and amphibolite, and in the Maizuru Group, formation of illite along pressure-solution cleavage of mudstones. The metamorphic grade is controlled by the stratigraphic relationships and appears typical of that in ocean floor regions. However, there was only one episode of M1 prograde metamorphism which occurred contemporaneously with D1 off-scraping. Given that subduction zones are normally characterized by high P/T metamorphic regimes, the observed P/T history appears to reflect relatively unusual conditions. Such high thermal gradients may plausibly reflect the approach of a young, hot oceanic plate which continued subducting beneath the Japanese arc. Accordingly, the Yakuno ophiolite was probably formed at the trench–trench–ridge triple junction.     

榴辉岩相高压-超高压变质岩的He同位素地球化学研究现状与问题

He同位素是区分地壳、地幔物质,研究壳-幔相互作用最灵敏的示踪剂之一,但其在高压-超高压变质作用过程中的地球化学行为目前仍不清楚,因而制约其在榴辉岩研究中的应用。中国作为高压-超高压榴辉岩带分布的重要地区,榴辉岩产出得天独厚,大洋、大陆两种俯冲成因榴辉岩均有分布。本文在归纳榴辉岩相高压-超高压变质岩研究进展的基础上,分析了He同位素示踪在榴辉岩研究中的应用现状。