Retrogression by deep infiltration of meteoric fluids into thrust zones during late-orogenic rapid unroofing

Hypersaline (Na–Ca–Cl) fluids are associated with late‐stage quartz veining and retrogression of garnet, kyanite and other high P–T phases in the vicinity of thrusts and major lithological boundaries in the Scandian nappes of the Troms‐Ofoten region, northern Norway. They record early Devonian fluid infiltration during rapid exhumation in the final stages of Caledonian orogenesis. The δ¹⁸O and δD characteristics of these late fluids provide compelling evidence for deep circulation of meteoric fluids. The sub‐greenschist to low greenschist facies retrogression (P=2±1 kbar; T =300–350 °C) suggests infiltration to depths of 7–9 km in a regime of supra‐hydrostatic fluid pressure. Peak metamorphic quartz veins and associated fluids have δD and δ¹⁸O characteristics consistent with a metamorphic origin (δD ?47 to ?75; δ¹⁸O+8.6 to +17.4). However, late quartz veins and associated fluids show a broad spread of δD from ?42 to ?148, interpreted in terms of meteoric fluid infiltration. Such negative δD values are only recorded in present‐day high‐latitude or high‐altitude settings, and since north Norway was in an equatorial setting (10° S) in the early Devonian, a high‐altitude origin is deduced. By calculation, and by comparison with modern examples, the early Devonian mountains of the north Norwegian Caledonides are interpreted to have had a topography in excess of 5 km. The deep circulation of surface waters is interpreted in terms of topographically driven flow, linked with a hydrothermal system induced by elevated geothermal gradients due to rapid uplift. Whilst the case for deep penetration of surface‐derived fluids has been promoted for Mesozoic and younger mountain belts, this study represents one of the first documented examples for a Palaeozoic orogenic belt. It suggests that many of the fundamental processes operating during the exhumation of mountain belts are similar irrespective of age.     

大别山北部榴辉岩的Sm-Nd年龄测定及其对麻粒相退变质时间的制约

报道了大别山北部三个榴辉岩样品的矿物 Sm- Nd等时线年龄，它们分别为 (210± 6) Ma或 (214± 6) Ma、 (208± 38) Ma和 (208± 4) Ma。氧同位素研究表明，这些样品中的石榴子石与绿辉石之间处于氧同位素平衡状态，因此，该 Sm- Nd等时线定年结果可靠。本区榴辉岩的高压麻粒岩相退变质阶段的冷却年龄为 210 Ma左右；榴辉岩的钕同位素初始比ε Nd(t)(两个样品一个为－ 10左右，另一个为－ 2)基本上表现为陆壳岩石特征，可能类似于南部超高压带中的榴辉岩，为印支期扬子陆壳俯冲变质成因。它们的全岩δ 18O值较低，为＋ 2.4‰～＋ 3.6‰，可能指示其原岩同大别山南部超高压带中榴辉岩一样，在板块俯冲之前，经受过高温地表水热液蚀变。年代学结果表明，大别山北部榴辉岩在 230～ 210 Ma期间经历的是一等温或升温过程，这与大别山南部含柯石英榴辉岩在这一时期的快速冷却过程形成强烈对比，这对理解俯冲陆壳中不同构造岩片折返过程的差异有重要意义。