Paleozoic magmatic events in the Strandja Massif,NW Turkey

The Strandja massif consists of metamorphic basement intruded by large Early Permian plutons of the Kirklareli type and overlain by Triassic metasedimentary cover. Together with its continuation in Bulgaria this massif forms an important link between the Pontides and the orogenic belts of Europe. Various types of orthogneisses constitute a significant part of the metamorphic basement however these rocks have until now escaped a particular study and therefore the Paleozoic history of the massif is essentially unknown. In this study these rocks are classified and mapped as hornblende-biotite, biotite-muscovite, and leucocratic orthogneisses. Their modal compositions correspond to quartz diorite, tonalite, granodiorite and trondhjemite. Geochemical data suggest a calc-alkaline trend of differentiation and metaluminous character of the parent magmas. Isotopic dating using the single zircon evaporation method has shown that magmatic ages of these orthogneisses cluster within a short time interval between 312±2 and 315 ±5 Ma in the Carboniferous. At the same time inherited ages of magmatic zircons in these rocks record a long lived magmatic activity between 340 and 650 Ma. We infer that the Carboniferous orthogneisses were formed in a magmatic arc that evolved atop of a mature continental basement. Previously established (1, 2]) Early Permian magmatic event has been confirmed by additional age determinations constraining it at 257±6 Ma. Tectonic setting of this episode is also interpreted as subduction related taking into consideration its geochemical features and relationships with surrounding tectonic units.