Further constraints on the temporal evolution of the Oslo Rift from precise U-Pb zircon dating in the Siljan-Skrim area

Precise U-Pb ages have been obtained from zircon and baddeleyite in plutonic rocks from the Siljan-Skrim area in the Vestfold Graben Segment in the south-western part of the Permian Oslo Rift. In addition, common lead data from feldspars in the same rocks are presented. The measured common Pb compositions of the feldspars are used to correct for initial common Pb in the zircons. The common Pb data indicate that U has been present in the feldspars since the time of crystallisation, probably in a late magmatic volatile phase in fluid inclusions.

The Siljan-Skrim area comprises two intrusive complexes. The northern Skrim-Mykle complex consists of two large, composite intrusive bodies, the Skrim larvikite and the Mykle ekerite. The southern Siljan-Hvarnes complex consists of a series of monzonitic to syenitic intrusions, which are nested in a systematic way, indicating decreasing emplacement age from east to west.

U-Pb zircon ages range from 281.2 ± 0.6 Ma (2σ) to 279.8 ± 0.7 Ma for three samples from the northern part of the Siljan-Skrim area and from 278.5 ± 0.8 Ma to 277.3 ± 0.8 Ma for four samples from the southern part of the area.

The geochronological data suggest that large amounts of magma were emplaced within very short time spans, i.e. less than 2 Ma for each of the two complexes. The high precision of the U-Pb age results allows discrimination between intrusive activity in the northern and southern parts of the Siljan-Skrim area and suggests that emplacement of magmas was episodic.