Mechanisms of continental crust formation in the Central Asian Foldbelt

Geological and isotopic study of rocks occurring in the Early and Late Baikalian, Caledonian, Hercynian, and Indosinian fold regions of Central Asia is carried out. The juvenile crust formation occurred in these fold regions have determined the systematic differences in isotopic compositions of the crust. In the course of the subsequent (postaccretion) evolution, the crust of these domains underwent multiple reworking. These processes were accompanied by variations in the Nd isotopic compositions of the crust, which, in turn, are recorded in the isotopic compositions of granites and felsic volcanics as products of crust melting. Three types of crust differing in Nd isotopic composition and structure and, as a consequence, in formation mechanisms, are distinguished. The isotopically homogeneous crust is a source of igneous rocks with constant model Nd isotopic age (T_Nd(DM2st)) irrespective of the age of the crustal igneous rocks. These are the isotopic provinces, the crust of which remained isolated from addition of alien materials during postaccretion evolution. The axial zone of the Hercynides in the Central Asian Foldbelt is an example. The isotopically heterogeneous layered crust consists of fragments differing in isotopic composition. The products of its melting are characterized by widely scattered ɛ_Nd(T) and (T_Nd(DM2st). The appearance of alien sources of melt is considered in terms of underplating. This mechanism develops either due to subduction of the juvenile oceanic lithosphere beneath the mature continental lithosphere at convergent boundaries or as a result of plume-lithosphere interaction. The first mechanism operated during the formation of granitoids pertaining to the Tuva-Mongolia microcontinent. The second mechanism was responsible for the formation of batholiths in the zonal Hangay, Barguzin, and Mongolia-Transbaikalia magmatic fields. The isotopically heterogeneous mixed crust is composed of fragments differing in isotopic composition, which are tectonically mixed, resulting in the formation of an isotopically uniform reservoir in the domain of magma generation. As a result, the products of melting acquire isotopic parameters substantially distinct from the juvenile rocks of the corresponding structural zone. The formation of such a crust is related to the tectonic delamination, which provides for juxtaposition and a high degree of tectonic mingling of heterogeneous fragments at deep levels. The Caledonides of the Central Asian Foldbelt are characterized by such a mechanism of crust formation.     

麻粒岩的形成及其对大陆地壳演化的贡献

麻粒岩是地球中最重要的岩石类型之一，它的形成主要受地热条件的控制。麻粒岩的形成可以与大陆碰撞、大陆拉张以及大陆弧模式相联系。麻粒岩在某种程度上，还是下地壳的同义词。通过麻粒岩地体地及火山岩中麻粒岩捕虏体的研究，使人们对地球深部的物质组成和结构有了直接的了解。麻粒岩在陆壳的形成和演化中具有举足轻重的地位。陆核说、陆壳垂直增生或横向增生说，都以麻粒岩作为重要的岩石学依据。     

Sm／Nd Evolution of Upper Mantle and Continental Crust：Constraints on Gowth Rates of the Continental Crust

A new approach to the investigation of the Sm/Nd evolution of the upper mantle directly from the data on lherzolite xenoliths is described in this paper.It is demonstrated that the model age TCHUR of an unmetasomatic iherzolite zenolith ca represent the mean depletion age of its mantle source, thus presenting a correlation trend between f^Sm/Nd and the mean depletion age of the upper mantle from the data on xenoliths.This correlation trend can also be derived from the data on river suspended loads as well as from granitoids.Based on the correlation trend mentioned above and mean depletion ages of the upper mantle at various geological times, an evolution curve for the mean f^Sm/Nd value of the upper mantle through geological time has been established.It is suggested that the upwilling of lower mantle material into the upper mantle and the recycling of continental crust material during the Archean were more active ,thus maintaining fairly constantf^Sm/Nd and εNd values during this time period. Similarly ,an evolution curve for the mean f^Sm/Nd value of the continental crust through geological time has also been established from the data of continental crust material.In the light of both evolution curves for the upper mantle and continental crust ,a growth curve for the continental crust has been worked out ,suggesting that :(1)about 30%(in volume )of the present crust was present as the continental crust at 3.8 Ga ago ;(2)the growth rate was much lower during the Archean ;and (3)the Proterozoic is another major period of time during which the continental crust wsa built up .     

Implications of Nb/U, Th/U and Sm/Nd in plume magmas for the relationship between continental and oceanic crust formation and the development of the depleted mantle

The Nb/U and Th/U of the primitive mantle are 34 and 4.04 respectively, which compare with 9.7 and 3.96 for the continental crust. Extraction of continental crust from the mantle therefore has a profound influence on its Nb/U but little influence on its Th/U. Conversely, extraction of midocean ridge-type basalts lowers the Th/U of the mantle residue but has little influence on its Nb/U. As a consequence, variations in Th/U and Nb/U with Sm/Nd can be used to evaluate the relative importance of continental and basaltic crust extraction in the formation of the depleted (Sm/Nd enriched) mantle reservoir.This study evaluates Nb/U, Th/U, and Sm/Nd variations in suites of komatiites, picrites, and their associated basalts, of various ages, to determine whether basalt and/or continental crust have been extracted from their source region. Emphasis is placed on komatiites and picrites because they formed at high degrees of partial melting and are expected to have Nb/U, Th/U, and Sm/Nd that are essentially the same as the mantle that melted to produce them. The results show that all of the studied suites, with the exception of the Barberton, have had both continental crust and basaltic crust extracted from their mantle source region. The high Sm/Nd of the Gorgona and Munro komatiites require the elevated ratios seen in these suites to be due primarily to extraction of basaltic crust from their source regions, whereas basaltic and continental crust extraction are of subequal importance in the source regions of the Yilgarn and Belingwe komatiites. The Sm/Nd of modern midocean ridge basalts lies above the crustal extraction curve on a plot of Sm/Nd against Nb/U, which requires the upper mantle to have had both basaltic and continental crust extracted from it.It is suggested that the extraction of the basaltic reservoir from the mantle occurs at midocean ridges and that the basaltic crust, together with its complementary depleted mantle residue, is subducted to the core-mantle boundary. When the two components reach thermal equilibrium with their surroundings, the lighter depleted component separates from the denser basaltic component. Both are eventually returned to the upper mantle, but the lighter depleted component has a shorter residence time in the lower mantle than the denser basaltic component. If the difference in the recycling times for the basaltic and depleted components is ∼1.0 to 1.5 Ga, a basaltic reservoir is created in the lower mantle, equivalent to the amount of basalt that is subducted in 1.0 to 1.5 Ga, and that reservoir is isolated from the upper mantle. It is this reservoir that is responsible for the Sm/Nd ratio of the upper mantle lying above the trend predicted by extraction of continental crust on the plot of Sm/Nd against Nb/U.     

下地壳含水性的演化 ——来自不同时代麻粒岩中长石水含量的证据

利用傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)和电子探针(EMP)分析了早古生代的松树沟麻粒岩和桐柏麻粒岩地体以及古元古代的莒南麻粒岩包体(其寄主岩石为新生代玄武岩)中长石的水含量和化学成分。结果显示,麻粒岩中的长石均含有以OH和H2O形式存在的结构水;3个地点的长石水含量分别为465×10-6~733×10-6、210×10-6~993×10-6和717×10-6~1 239×10-6。对比前人报道的中生代(道县和汉诺坝包体)和古元古代(女山包体、汉诺坝地体)的麻粒岩研究结果,发现早古生代样品和古元古代样品中长石的水含量都比中生代样品明显的高,而早古生代和古元古代样品之间却没有差别,指示了中国东部下地壳在中生代之前更加富水。     

Formation and evolution of the Archean continental crust of China: A review

The mainland of China is composed of the North China Craton, the South China Craton, the Tarim Craton and other young orogenic belts. Amongst the three cratons, the North China Craton has been studied most and noted for its widely-distributed Archean basement rocks. In this paper, we assess and compare the geology, rock types, formation age and geochemical composition features of the Archean basements of the three cratons. They have some common characteristics, including the fact that the crustal rocks prior to the Paleoarchean and the supracrustal rocks of the Neoarchean were preserved, and Tonalite-Trondhjemtite-Granodiorite (TTG) magmatism and tectono-magmatism occurred at about 2.7 Ga and about 2.5 Ga respectively. The Tarim Craton and the North China Craton show more similarities in their early Precambrian crustal evolution. Significant findings on the Archean basement of the North China Craton are concluded to be: (1) the tectonic regime in the early stage (>3.1 Ga) is distinct from modern plate tectonics; (2) the continental crust accretion occurred mostly from the late Mesoarchean to the early Neoarchean period; (3) a huge linear tectonic belt already existed in the late Neoarchean period, suggesting the beginning of plate tectonics; and (4) the preliminary cratonization had already been completed by about 2.5 Ga. Hadean detrital zircons were found at a total of nine locations within China. Most of them show clear oscillatory zoning, sharing similar textures with magmatic zircons from intermediate-felsic magmatic rocks. This indicates that a fair quantity of continental material had already developed on Earth at that time.     

Pluton accommodation at high strain rates in the upper continental crust. The example of the Central Extremadura batholith,Spain

Emplacement in the tensional bridge of a stepped dextral shear zone system is proposed for the Central Extremadura batholith (Spain). The country rocks show a pervasive anisotropy that conditioned the style of the structures developed as a consequence of the transference of displacement from the stepped shear zones to the releasing area. The kinematic evolution of the resulting megakink fold provided the volume increase necessary for the granite emplacement. Thermal and kinematic models suggest that the growth of individual plutons took place in periods of no more than several hundred to a few thousand years. Fast strain rates (10⁻¹⁰–10⁻¹¹ s⁻¹) must concentrate in local structures (e.g. initiation of kink folds) even in zones deforming as a whole under typical strain rates (10^−14±1 s⁻¹). Granite plutons might be used as strain-rate gauges for syn-plutonic structures.     

H2O content of deep-seated orogenic continental crust: the Ulten Zone,Italian Alps

To estimate the amount of H₂O stored at lower crustal levels after burial, we considered the pile of migmatitic paragneisses in the Variscan Ulten Zone as a case study area. We constructed a pseudosection in the system K₂O-Na₂O-CaO-FeO-MnO-MgO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-TiO₂-H₂O for an average paragneiss, a relevant prograde PT path (8.5 kbar, 600°C; 11.5 kbar, 750°C; 14.0 kbar, 1000°C) and H₂O contents between 0 and 10 wt.%. Based on an assemblage of garnet?+?biotite?+?white mica?+?kyanite?+?20–30 vol.% former melt (now represented mainly by leucosomes composed of plagioclase?+?quartz), a bulk H₂O content of 3.2 ± 1.1 wt.% was estimated for a peak temperature ranging between 770 and 800°C. Before melting, somewhat less than 1.8 wt.% H₂O was stored in minerals. Thus, a considerable amount of H₂O must have either resided in pore spaces along grain boundaries or, much less likely, infiltrated the paragneisses from below. Evidently, significant quantities of H₂O as a free phase may be stored in buried sialic crust, resulting in considerable melting of deep-seated rocks during continent–continent collision.     

Divergent behaviour of Th and U during anatexis: Implications for the thermal evolution of orogenic crust

Mobilization and migration of the heat‐producing elements (HPE) during anatexis is a critical process in the development of orogenic systems, the evolution of continental crust and the stabilization of cratons. In many crustal rocks the accessory minerals are the dominant hosts of Th and U, and the behaviour of these minerals during partial melting controls the concentrations of these elements in draining melt and residue. We use phase equilibrium modelling to evaluate if loss of melt saturated in the essential structural constituents of the accessory minerals can explain the concentrations of Th and U in residual metasedimentary migmatites and granulites along two well‐characterized crustal transects in the Ivrea zone, Italy and at Mt Stafford, Australia. While an equilibrium model of accessory mineral breakdown and melt loss approximates the depletion of U in the residual crust along both transects, it does not explain the relative enrichment of Th. We propose that the high Th concentrations in residual crust may be explained by either inhibition of monazite dissolution by kinetic factors or near‐peak growth of new high Th grains and overgrowth rims on undissolved monazite due to migration of melt through the orogenic crust. Retention of the HPE in the middle and deep orogenic crust may allow metasedimentary granulites to overcome the enthalpy barrier of melting to achieve ultrahigh temperature conditions and may be partly responsible for the slow cooling of many granulite terranes. Lastly, although the mantle was warmer and crustal heat production was higher in the past, peak temperatures and apparent thermal gradients of high‐temperature (HT)–ultrahigh temperature (UHT) granulite terranes have not decreased significantly since the Neoarchean. However, the pressure of HP granulite facies metamorphism has increased gradually from the Archean to the Phanerozoic, which suggests that the lithosphere became stronger as secular cooling of the mantle enabled plate collisions to form thicker orogens. Thus, as the lithosphere became stronger, the proportion of HT–UHT metamorphism associated with thin lithosphere and mantle heat has decreased, whereas the proportion associated with the formation of thick crust and radiogenic heat has increased.     

Isotopic structure and evolution of the continental crust in the East Transbaikalian segment of the Central Asian Foldbelt

New data on the geology and tectonics of the main structural elements of the East Transbaikalian segment of the Central Asian Foldbelt are discussed. Correlation charts of the main stratified and igneous complexes are compiled. The rocks of the Baikal-Patom and Baikal-Muya belts, as well as the Barguzin-Vitim Superterrane, are characterized by new Nd isotopic data, which have allowed us to establish the sources of these rocks, to separate isotopic provinces, and to distinguish two stages of crust-forming processes: the Early Baikalian (1.0–0.8 Ga) and the Late Baikalian (0.70–0.62 Ga). The Early Baikalian crust was formed in relatively narrow and spatially isolated troughs of the Baikal-Muya Belt and probably in the Amalat Terrane, whereas the Late Baikalian continental crust was formed and reworked in the Karalon-Mamakan, Yana, and Katera-Uakit zones of the Baikal-Muya Belt. The Baikal-Patom Belt and most of the Anamakit-Muya Zone in the Baikal-Muya Belt are characterized by remobilization of the Early Precambrian continental crust and by a subordinate role of Late Riphean juvenile sources. Reworking of the mixed Late Riphean and Early Precambrian crustal sources is typical of the Barguzin-Vitim Superterrane. The origination and evolution of the continental crust in the studied region are considered in light of new data; alternative versions of paleogedynamic reconstructions are discussed.     

Comments on the Eu and Th geochemistry of the archaean continental crust of the Kaapvaal Craton,South Africa

Chemical data from sedimentary and igneous rocks of the Kaapvaal Craton have been used to trace the occurrence of highly fractionated K₂O-rich granites with pronounced negative Eu-anomalies back to the early Archaean. From the sediments of the Fig Tree Group (about 3.4 Ga-old) and granite pebbles in the overlying Moodies Group it was estimated that the igneous and metamorphic part of the continental crust at that time already contained up to about 35% of such granites. Their formation requires the presence of a thick continental crust to allow intracrustal partial melting with plagioclase as a residual phase, and the intrusion of the resulting granites at high levels within the crust. Save for some small remnants these Eu-depleted Archaean granites have since been removed by erosion.Shales of the 3.0 Ga-old Pongola Supergroup reflect only small source areas and contain considerable amounts of material derived from residual soils. The Eu-anomalies of the Pongola shales suggest up to 30% Eu-depleted granites in the source area. The shales of the Witwatersrand Supergroup (about 2.6 Ga-old) — with Eu-anomalies as low as 0.45 — reflect a source area already having typical post-Archaean crustal compositions.The Th-concentrations in South African shales support this conclusion and typical post-Archaean concentrations of above 10 ppm are found already in the early Archaean Sheba shales. Uranium and thorium mineralization has also occurred on the Kaapvaal Craton since the early Archaean.The South African late Proterozoic and Phanerozoic sedimentary record of Eu-anomalies and Th-concentrations confirms the trend observed on other cratonic areas and supports the concept of worldwide uniformity in crustal composition since the end of the Archaean. On the Kaapvaal Craton crustal growth and consolidation began 500–600 Ma earlier than in other parts of the world. The Kaapvaal Craton thus appears to represent a ‘cold spot’ on the face of the Earth.     

Composition and evolution of the continental crust: Retrospect and prospect

Until the middle of the 20th century, the continental crust was considered to be dominantly granitic. This hypothesis was revised after the Second World War when several new studies led to the realization that the continental crust is dominantly made of metamorphic rocks. Magmatic rocks were emplaced at peak metamorphic conditions in domains, which can be defined by geophysical discontinuities. Low to medium-grade metamorphic rocks constitute the upper crust, granitic migmatites and intrusive granites occur in the middle crust, and the lower crust, situated between the Conrad and Moho discontinuities, comprises charnockites and granulites. The continental crust acquired its final structure during metamorphic episodes associated with mantle upwelling, which mostly occurred in supercontinents prior to their disruption, during which the base of the crust experienced ultrahigh temperatures (>1000 °C, ultrahigh temperature granulite-facies metamorphism). Heat is provided by underplating of mantle-derived mafic magmas, as well as by a massive influx of low H₂O activity mantle fluids, i.e. high-density CO₂ and high-salinity brines. These fluids are initially stored in ultrahigh temperature domains, and subsequently infiltrate the lower crust, where they generate anhydrous granulite mineral assemblages. The brines can reach upper crustal levels, possibly even the surface, along major shear zones, where granitoids are generated through brine streaming in addition to those formed by dehydration melting in upper crustal levels.     

Chemical composition and fractionation of the continental crust

A new estimate of the bulk continental crust is reported consisting of 57 percent lower crust (60% felsic and 40% mafic granulites) and 43 percent upper crust. The proportions of crustal units are based on petrological observations (Bohlen &Mezger, 1989). The estimate of a bulk composition is intermediate between andesite and tonalite and is higher in Si, K, Rb, Sr, Zr, Nb, Ba, LREE, Pb, Th concentrations and lower in Mg, Ca, Sc, Mn, Fe than the crustal abundances reported byTaylor &McLennan (1985). Equal chemical composition between the upper crust and the felsic part of the lower crust is attained in balance computations if one restores a fraction of 12.5 percent S-type granite from the upper into the lower crust. An example of water-undersaturated partial melting and separation of a fraction of about 35 percent granitic magma at the conversion from amphibolite-into granulite-facies metasediments has been balanced bySchnetger (1988) in the Ivrea area (N. Italy). The worldwide observed discrepancy between a larger negative Eu anomaly in the upper crust compared with the half as large positive anomaly of the lower crust increasing from the early Precambrian to present has been explained by recycling of Ca-rich restite into the upper mantle. The composition of the Archean crust (example: Greenland) does not differ systematically from the post-Archean crust.

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Zusammenfassung Die chemische Zusammensetzung der gesamten kontinentalen Kruste, die zu 57% aus der Unterkruste (60% felsische und 40% mafische Granulite) und zu 43% aus Oberkruste besteht, wurde neu ermittelt. Die Proportionen der Krusteneinheiten beruhen auf petrologischen Beobachtungen (Bohlen &Mezger, 1989). Die geschätzte Zusammensetzung der Gesamtkruste liegt zwischen Andesit und Tonalit. Sie ist höher in den Gehalten an Si, K, Rb, Sr, Zr, Nb, Ba, LREE, Pb, Th und niedriger im Mg, Ca, Sc, Mn, Fe als die vonTaylor &McLennan (1985) mitgeteilten mittleren Krustenwerte. Die chemischen Unterschiede zwischen Ober- und Unterkruste werden ausgeglichen, wenn man die Substanz von 12,5% S-Typ-Granit von der Oberkruste abzieht und zur Unterkruste hinzufügt. Als typisches Beispiel der Abtrennung granitischer Partialschmelzen im wasseruntersättigten System wird das der variskischen Metamorphose von Metasedimenten in der Ivreazone (Nord-Italien) angesehen.Schnetger (1988) konnte hier mit einer chemischen Bilanz zeigen, daß die Umwandlung von amphibolitfaziellen zu granulitfaziellen Gesteinen mit dem Verlust von etwa 35% granitischer Schmelze verbunden war. Die negative Eu-Anomalie der Oberkruste ist weltweit doppelt so groß wie die positive Anomalie der Unterkruste. Diese in der Zeit vom Archaikum bis heute vergrößerte Diskrepanz läßt sich nur mit dem Verlust von Ca-reichen Restiten aus der Kruste an den Mantel erklären. Die chemische Zusammensetzung der kontinentalen Kruste hat sich sonst seit dem Archaikum nicht systematisch geändert, wie am Beispiel Grönlands gezeigt wird.

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Résumé Cette note propose une nouvelle estimation de la composition chimique d'ensemble de la croûte continentale, constituée pour 57% de croûte inférieure (60% de granulites felsiques et 40% de granulites mafiques) et pour 43% de croûte supérieure. Les proportions de ces unités crustales sont basées sur les observations pétrologiques (Bohlen etMezger 1989). La composition d'ensemble proposée est intermédiaire entre celles d'une andésite et d'une tonalite; par rapport aux abondances crustales données parTaylor etMcLennan (1985), les teneurs sont plus élevées en Si, K, Rb, Sr, Zr, Nb, Ba, LEE, Pb, Th et moins élevées en Mg, Ca, Sc, Mn, Fe. Si on tranfère de la croûte supérieure à la croûte inférieure la matière correspondant à 12,5% de granite de type S, la différence de composition entre ces deux croûtes disparaît. Un exemple typique de fusion partielle granitique en système sous-saturé en eau est fourni par le métamorphisme varisque de métasédiments dans la zone d'Ivrée (Italie du Nord). D'après ce bilan chimique établi parSchnetger (1988), le passage des roches du faciès des amphibolites à celui des granulites s'accompagne de la production d'environ 35% de magma granitique. L'anomalie négative en Eu de la croûte supérieure est partout le double de l'anomalie positive de la coûte inférieure. Cette différence, qui s'est accrue depuis l'Archéen jusqu'aujourd'hui, s'explique par le passage de restites riches en Ca dans le manteau supérieur. La composition d'ensemble de la croûte continentale ne s'est toutefois pas modifiée depuis l'Archéen, comme le montre l'exemple du Groenland.

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, 57% (60% 40% ), -43%. , (Bohlen & Mezger, 1989). . Taylor & McLennan (1985) Si, K, Rb, Sr, Zr, Nb, Ba, LREE, Pb, Th Mg, Ca, Sc, Mn, Fe. , 12,5% S, , . — , , . Schnetger (1988) , 35%. , . , , , , , . , .

     

Debris-flow phenomena in the Central Apennines of Italy

The results of a research project on the extent of debris-flow processes in the Monti Sibillini area (Central Italy) are presented. Debris flows have greatly contributed in shaping the landscape of the Monti Sibillini territory. Based on the dominant active process they can be subdivided into three sections: a source area, a transport area and a depositional area. Four environments can be identified as source areas: landslide deposits, highly fractured rocks, scree or talus deposits, and glacial deposits. The evolution of some of the largest features present in the area is examined. These may have developed from an initial stage of mostly gully erosion and minor landsliding, through an intermediate stage characterized by extensive mass-movement, to a final stage dominated by fluvial processes. Lastly, generalizations on the debris-flow hazard in the study area are made.     

Considerations about the plate tectonic model, volcanism and continental crust in the southern part of the Central Andes

Mesozoic and Cenozoic volcanism in the Central Andes occurs near the boundary of convergent oceanic and continental lithospheric plates. The rocks show a chemical and temporal zonation with respect to the present Chile-Peru trench. It is inferred that the geometry of the subduction zone has not changed in the last 190 m.y.; the continental crust during Jurassic time in northern Chile may have been between 15 and 27 km thick.     

Coupling between fluids and rock deformation in the continental crust:Preface

正1.Introduction Fluids are essential and widespread components of the Earth crust.They regulate the main process of mass and energy transport,conditioning the geochemical and geophysical evolution of the crust (Bredehoeft and Norton.1990) and,consequently,its properties and mechanical behavior.The coupling between fluids,rock deformation,and heat are crucial engines for plate tectonics,playing a leading role in the rheology and evolution of the lithosphere(e.g.Jamtveit et al.,2000;Kennedy and van Soest,2007;Thompson,2010;Miller.2013;Yardley and Bodnar,2014:Hirauchi et al.,2016:     

Paleozoic evolution of continental crust in the Beaujolais-Lyonnais area,northeastern part of the Massif Central,France

In the Beaujolais-Lyonnais area of the northeastern Massif Central accretion of continental and possibly oceanic crustal fragments occurred between Cambrian (?) and early Carboniferous time. Three distinct lithotectonic units (terranes?) have been recognized. The southern (Lyonnais-) Unit consists of medium- to high-grade metamorphics and includes eclogites; it formed in the early Paleozoic. The Brévenne-Unit to the north contains low- to medium-grade metamorphic mafic and felsic volcanics and subordinate sedimentary rocks which possibly originated during the early Paleozoic until Devonian time, in a sialic back-arc environment or along an active continental margin. The Beaujolais-Unit is represented by volcanics on the south and predominantly shallow marine clastics and carbonates on the north. It developed in a late Devonian or early Carboniferous ensialic marginal basin. The peak of metamorphism in the Lyonnais-unit (HP/HT) was reached in Silurian time. Subsequent NW-SE to E-W oriented convergence produced mylonitic foliation, structural imbrication of the Lyonnais basement rocks with the Brévenne-Unit and SE-vergent folds accompanied by low- to medium-grade metamorphism. Late Visean to Namurian N-S to NW-SE directed N-vergent thrusting produced tectonic imbrication of the metamorphic northern Brévenne-Unit with the nonmetamorphic Beaujolais-Unit. In the southern Brévenne-Unit and in the Lyonnais-Unit updoming along right-lateral high-angle normal faults was followed by emplacement of voluminous granitic plutons of crustal origin. Late Carboniferous to early Permian crustal thinning in the Beaujolais-Lyonnais area was associated with N-S trending left-lateral strike-slip faults and E-W to NE-SW trending right-lateral strike-slip faults. Basins that developed along these faults contain continental red beds.     

Grain-size-sensitive flow and shear-stress enhancement at the brittle–ductile transition of the continental crust

Localized shear zones along low-angle normal faults have been identified in regions of extension at the brittle-ductile transition of the continental crust. The possibility of the strain localizing at a depth of 10 km is interpreted here as a consequence of an increase in the equivalent shear stress applied to the flow of the lower crust. This enhancement of the flow stress is seen as a prerequisite for the triggering of brittle deformation mechanisms leading to strain localization. The lower crust rheology used to examine this stress increase is strain-rate, temperature and grain-size dependent, due to the coupling of dislocation and diffusion creep. The model structure proposed consists of a top layer, the upper crust, gliding rigidly above a bottom layer, the lower crust, which deforms in simple shear. During a short time interval (1400 years), the equivalent shear stress is found to increase by a factor of up to 3 (67 MPa for anorthite and 17 MPa for quartz). For anorthite, this stress could explain the activation of a Mohr-Coulomb failure with a friction coefficient of 0.2, which is reasonable at the depth of 10 km. Dislocation creep is activated during a rapid change in the prescribed velocity, whereas diffusion creep dominates if the velocity is held constant, highlighting the importance of grain-size sensitivity for lower crustal rheology.