Stable isotopic signatures of superposed fluid events in granulite facies marbles of the Rauer Group, East Antarctica |
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Authors: | I S BUICK S L HARLEY I CARTWRIGHT D MATTEY |
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Institution: | School of Earth Sciences &VIEPS, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia;Grant Institute of Geology, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH93JW, UK;Department of Earth Sciences &VIEPS, Monash University, Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia;Department of Geology, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK |
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Abstract: | The role of volatiles in the stabilization of the lower (granulite facies) crust is contentious. Opposing models invoke infiltration of CO2-rich fluids or generally vapour-absent conditions during granulite facies metamorphism. Stable isotope and petrological studies of granulite facies metacarbonates can provide constraints on these models. In this study data are presented from metre-scale forsteritic marble boudins within Archaean intermediate to felsic orthogneisses from the Rauer Group, East Antarctica. Forsteritic marble layers and associated calcsilicates preserve a range of 13C- and 18O-depleted calcite isotope values (δ13C= -9.9 to -3.0% PDB, δ18O = 4.0 to 12.1% SMOW). A coupled trend of 13C and 18O depletion (~2%, ~5%, respectively) from core to rim across one marble layer is inconsistent with pervasive CO2 infiltration during granulite facies metamorphism, but does indicate localized fluid-rock interaction. At another locality, more pervasive fluid infiltration has resulted in calcite having uniformly low, carbonatite-like δ18O and δ13C values. A favoured mechanism for the low δ18O and δ13C values of the marbles is infiltration by fluids that were derived from, or equilibrated with, a magmatic source. It is likely that this fluid-rock interaction occurred prior to high-grade metamorphism; other fluid-rock histories are not, however, ruled out by the available data. Coupled trends of 13C and 18O depletion are modified to even lower values by the superposed development of small-scale metasomatic reaction zones between marbles and internally folded mafic (?) interlayers. The timing of development of these layers is uncertain, but may be related to Archaean high-temperature (>1000d?C) granulite facies metamorphism. |
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Keywords: | calcite fluids granulites stable isotopes |
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