Tectonic overpressure in competent mafic layers and the development of isolated eclogites

Abstract Variation in the state of stress during heterogeneous deformation should be reflected in variation in the effective pressure of metamorphic reactions, whether this is mean stress or the normal stress acting across the reacting interface. The magnitude of this pressure variation will determine whether it is discernible in the preserved metamorphic mineral assemblages of heterogeneously deformed rocks. The magnitude of the mean stress difference across a non-slipping interface between two materials with viscosity ratio >c. 20:1 is effectively equal to the maximum shear stress for flow in the more viscous material. Progressive shortening of the interface results in a higher mean stress in the more competent material, whereas extension results in a lower mean stress. For high-P/low-T eclogite facies conditions, current experimental data indicate that clinopyroxene- and garnet-rich layers of eclogite should be very strong and that pressure differences of up to 800 MPa (8 kbar) between competent layer and weaker matrix may be possible. Such high values can be obtained in widely separated competent layers for values of bulk stress in the overall multilayer that are much lower (by a factor approaching the viscosity ratio). Extrusion of material between more rigid plates, which has been proposed as a regional mechanism of lateral ‘continental escape’for both the Alps and the Himalayas, should also be accompanied by a lateral gradient in effective pressure; otherwise extrusion could not occur. Maximum mean stresses with magnitudes that are many times the maximum shear stress required for plastic flow should develop for deformation zones that are long relative to their width (e.g. around 20 times for a width-to-thickness ratio of 10). Tectonic overpressure in progressively shortened competent layers, particularly in regions of extrusion between more rigid plates, might help explain the occurrence of isolated layers and pods of low-T eclogite (<550°C) with estimated peak pressures markedly in excess of those in the surrounding matrix. It cannot explain the occurrence of isolated high-T eclogites, because at temperatures >c. 550°C, the dramatic weakening of clinopyroxene in the power-law creep field precludes the development of significant overpressures in eclogite layers.     

Partial melting and the formation of granulite facies assemblages in Namaqualand, South Africa

Abstract Dehydration-melting reactions, in which water from a hydrous phase enters the melt, leaving an anhydrous solid assemblage, are the dominant mechanism of partial melting of high-grade rocks in the absence of externally derived vapour. Equilibria involving melt and solid phases are effective buffers of aH₂,o. The element-partitioning observed in natural rocks suggests that dehydration melting occurs over a temperature interval during which, for most cases, aH₂o is driven to lower values. The mass balance of dehydration melting in typical biotite gneiss and metapelite shows that the proportion of melt in the product assemblage at T± 850°C is relatively small (10–20%), and probably insufficient to mobilize a partially melted rock body. Granulite facies metapelite, biotite gneiss and metabasic gneiss in Namaqualand contain coarse-grained, discordant, unfoliated, anhydrous segregations, surrounded by a finer grained, foliated matrix that commonly includes hydrous minerals. The segregations have modes consistent with the hypothesis that they are the solid and liquid products of the dehydration-melting reactions: Bt + Sil + Qtz + PI = Grt ° Crd + Kfs + L (metapelite), Bt + Qtz + Pl = Opx + Kfs + L (biotite gneiss), and Hbl + Qtz = Opx + Cpx + Pl + L (metabasic gneiss). The size, shape, distribution and modes of segregations suggest only limited migration and extraction of melt. Growth of anhydrous poikiloblasts in matrix regions, development of anhydrous haloes around segregations and formation of dehydrated margins on metabasic layers enclosed in migmatitic metapelites all imply local gradients in water activity. Also, they suggest that individual segregations and bodies of partially melted rock acted as sinks for soluble volatiles. The preservation of anhydrous assemblages and the restricted distribution of late hydrous minerals suggest that retrograde reaction between hydrous melt and solids did not occur and that H₂O in the melt was released as vapour on crystallization. This model, combined with the natural observations, suggests that it is possible to form granulite facies assemblages without participation of external fluid and without major extraction of silicate melt.     

Petrology of amphibolite-facies mafic and ultramafic rocks from the Catalina Schist, southern California: metasomatism and migmatization in a subduction zone metamorphic setting

Abstract The Catalina Schist of southern California is a subduction zone metamorphic terrane. It consists of three tectonic units of amphibolite-, high- P greenschist- and blueschist-facies rocks that are structurally juxtaposed across faults, forming an apparent inverted metamorphic gradient. Migmatitic and non-migmatitic metabasite blocks surrounded by a meta-ultramafic matrix comprise the upper part of the Catalina amphibolite unit. Fluid-rock interaction at high- P , high- T conditions caused partial melting of migmatitic blocks, metasomatic exchange between metabasite blocks and ultramafic rocks, infiltration of silica into ultramafic rocks, and loss of an albitic component from nonmigmatitic, clinopyroxene-bearing metabasite blocks.
Partial melting took place at an estimated P =˜8–11 kbar and T =˜640–750°C at high H₂O activity. The melting reaction probably involved plagioclase + quartz. Trondhjemitic melts were produced and are preserved as leucocratic regions in migmatitic blocks and as pegmatitic dikes that cut ultramafic rocks.
The metasomatic and melting processes reflected in these rocks could be analogous to those proposed for fluid and melt transfer of components from a subducting slab to the mantle wedge. Aqueous fluids rather than melts seem to have accomplished the bulk of mass transfer within the mafic and ultramafic complex.     

Metapelitic granulites from Jetty Peninsula,east Antarctica: formation during a single event or by polymetamorphism?

Granulite facies metasedimentary gneiss exposed on Jetty Peninsula, east Antarctica, contains assemblages involving garnet-sillimanite-biotite-cordierite-spinel-ilmenite-rutile and garnet-orthopyroxene-cordierite-biotite, as well as quartz and K-feldspar. Peak assemblages involve garnet + sillimanite + ilmenite (±rutile) and garnet + orthopyroxene. P-T calculations suggest formation conditions of approximately 800d? C at 7-7.5 kbar. Cooling from peak conditions is suggested by biotite + garnet (±sillimanite) overprinting some peak assemblages. A subsequent increase in temperature is inferred from the formation of cordierite + garnet + biotite + ilmenite, garnet + sillimanite + cordierite + ilmenite and cordierite + orthopyroxene assemblages during D2. In slightly zincian bulk compositions, hercynitic spinel + cordierite + sillimanite constitutes the peak D2 assemblage. Average pressure calculations indicate peak pressures of 5.9 ±0.4 kbar at 700d? C for the cordierite-bearing D2 assemblages. Available radiometric data suggest that peak metamorphism occurred at c. 1000 Ma and D2 occurred after 940 ± 20 Ma. The following two possibilities exist for the metamorphic evolution. (1) The formation of the lower pressure cordierite-bearing assemblages is associated with a separate metamorphic event (M2), unrelated to the peak assemblage (M1), and the lower pressure assemblages have no relevance in terms of a single tectonothermal event. (2) The cordierite-bearing assemblages formed during a progression from peak conditions. In this case, the lower pressure assemblages reflect a broadly decompressional metamorphic evolution, during which temperatures fluctuated. Comparison with P-T paths from granulites of similar age in adjacent areas suggests that the second possibility should be preferred. The cooling interval between peak conditions and the development of cordierite-bearing coronas and symplectites suggests affinities with isobarically cooled granulites of similar age immediately to the west, and the low-P/high-T post-peak conditions are similar to the later stages of decompressional paths recognized in much of east Antarctica.     

东南极拉斯曼丘陵暗色麻粒岩锆石的U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

东南极拉斯曼丘陵地区代表性的原岩为镁铁质堆晶岩的暗色麻粒岩，其中锆石的Ｕ－Ｐｂ同位素年代测定表明，本区在泛非事件（５００Ｍａ）之前的晚元古中期可能经历过一次麻粒岩相变质作用，主要由斜方辉石－单斜辉石－斜长石－石英组成的暗色麻粒岩的Ｕ－Ｐｂ不一致线年龄结果为７７２．４＋７１．１／－４８．０（２σ）Ｍａ。结合野外地质证据，此年龄可能代表了该区已识别出的早期中压麻粒岩相变质作用事件并对应于罗迪尼亚事件     

内蒙古,河北高级变质岩中锆石的成因矿物学研究

本文对内蒙古上、下集宁群、河北桑干群紫苏花岗岩及麻粒岩中的锆石进行了形态、环带及成分分布的研究，发现这些岩石中存在岩浆成因和变质成因的锆石，论述了这两种锆石的成因矿物学特征，并对这些岩石的成因进行了探讨。     

内蒙集宁群麻粒岩相中石榴石的稀土元素特征

采用现代高精度中子活化分析方法分析研究了内蒙集宁群麻粒岩相中石榴石的痕量稀土,原岩为火山质岩石和原岩为正常沉积岩中的石榴石显示出完全不同的稀土配分型式,认为变质岩中的石榴石,其稀土元素特征可用来判别深变质岩的原岩性质,区分正副变质岩。     

How High Are the P-T Conditions for Paleoproterozoic Metamorphism of the Huangtuling Felsic Granulite, North Dabieshan, Central China？

This paper is supported by the Special Doctoral Grant of the Ministry of Education of China （No. 98049114） and the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 49972023）.     

喜马拉雅中段哲古拉花岗岩中高压麻粒岩包体及其主岩的^40Ar／^39Ar年代学研究

为了深入了解喜马拉雅构造带的地质演化历史,同时为了探讨作为建立高压变质条件下的同位素年代学方法的重要前提的同位素体系特征,对出露于喜马拉雅中段西藏哲古拉地区的高压麻粒岩包体中的峰期矿物和退变质矿物及其主岩花岗岩中的富钾矿物进行了常规~(40)Ar/~(39) Ar 年代学研究。花岗岩中的黑云母坪年龄为11.48±0.18Ma,钾长石坪年龄为12.63±0.19Ma,二者的等时线年龄与之相当,分别为11.63Ma 和12.58Ma。高压麻粒岩峰期矿物黑云母的坪年龄为48.5±0.54Ma,等时线年龄为48.95±0.83Ma,(~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar)_i 为285;退变质矿物角闪石的坪年龄谱呈马鞍形,坪区数据对应的等时线年龄为31.1±5.4Ma,(~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar)_i 为394,显示有过剩~(40)Ar 的存在。结合前人的研究,推定高压麻粒岩经历了一个快速的退变质作用过程,不仅变质作用没有达到平衡,早期与晚期变质矿物之间也没有达成氩同位素交换平衡,在标本尺度上或高压麻粒岩包体与主岩花岗岩之间均是如此。根据~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar 年代学结果也可以了解到,在高压麻粒岩的退变质过程中,早期与晚期变质矿物之间的氩同位素体系有明显不同,这种氩同位素体系在不同变质阶段的不平衡记录为帮助建立不同变质地质事件的年代学序列提供了研究途径。依照获得的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar 年代学数据,可以建立喜马拉雅中段高压麻粒岩包体形成和演化的动力学过程:推定高压麻粒岩经受了两期变质作用的叠加,峰期变质老于48.5Ma,晚期变质发生在31Ma 前后;大约在17Ma 前后为其主岩花岗岩捕虏,并在11Ma～12Ma 之间被带至地表。文中对前人锆石 U-Pb 年龄进行了再分析,认为在高压变质作用条件下,由于熔体或流体从变质岩石中被抽提出去而限制了变质锆石的生长,因此,高压麻粒岩包体中的锆石 U-Pb 年龄没有能够记录高压变质事件。