Diachronic and different metamorphic evolution in the fossil Variscan lower crust of Calabria

Different P–T–t paths and Variscan tectonic evolution have been described for the lower crust of Calabria. New data have been collected through retrieval technique and construction of pseudosections to control the validity of the previous data and to check the appropriate model to describe the tectono-thermal evolution of the lower crust of the Serre (southern Calabria). The time-period from ~350 and ~270?Ma has been considered to depict the evolution from Variscan crustal thickening to exhumation as happens in the peri-Mediterranean blocks of south European Variscides and consistently with the available geochronological data. It results that: (1) P-peak at 0.9 and 1.03 GPa at the top and bottom, respectively, was reached earlier than T-peak, (2) crustal thickening developed likely earlier than 325?Ma within the stability field of kyanite, in agreement with previous studies, up to the P-peak along a geothermal gradient of about 21–22°C?km^?1, (3) the T-peak of 700 and 880°C at the top and bottom, respectively, was reached in the stability field of sillimanite after a nearly isobaric heating and (4) Variscan exhumation occurred under increasing T/depth ratio and stopped 270–280?Ma ago. The P–T paths for the upper and lower portions of the section, qualitatively comparable to the numerical simulation, reflect different styles of exhumation, cooling and, according to the available geochronological data, diachronic evolution.