Partial melting of subducted continental crust: Geochemical evidence from synexhumation granite in the Sulu orogen

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zi-Fu Zhao ◽  
Yong-Fei Zheng ◽  
Yi-Xiang Chen ◽  
Guo-Chao Sun
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Geochemical Evidence

Geochemical evidence for the production of granitoids through reworking of the juvenile mafic arc crust in the Gangdese orogen, southern Tibet

2019 ◽  
Vol 132 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1347-1364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Wei Tang ◽  
Long Chen ◽  
Zi-Fu Zhao ◽  
Yong-Fei Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Crustal Contamination ◽  
Plate Boundaries ◽  
Southern Tibet ◽  
Mafic Rocks ◽  
Geochemical Evidence ◽  
Continental Arc

Abstract Although continental crust is characterized by the widespread occurrence of granitoids, the causal relationship between continental crust growth and granitic magmatism still remains enigmatic. While fractional crystallization of basaltic magmas (with or without crustal contamination) and partial melting of mafic lower crust are two feasible mechanisms for the production of granitoids in continental arc regions, the problem has been encountered in discriminating between the two mechanisms by whole-rock geochemistry. This can be resolved by an integrated study of zircon U-Pb ages and Hf-O isotopes together with whole-rock major-trace elements and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes, which is illustrated for Mesozoic granitoids from the Gangdese orogen in southern Tibet. The results provide geochemical evidence for prompt reworking of the juvenile mafic arc crust in the newly accreted continental margin. The target granitoids exhibit high contents of SiO2 (65.76–70.75 wt%) and Na2O + K2O (6.38–8.15 wt%) but low contents of MgO (0.19–0.98 wt%), Fe2O3 (0.88–3.13 wt%), CaO (2.00–3.82 wt%), Ni (<5.8 ppm), and Cr (≤10 ppm). They are enriched in large ion lithophile elements, Pb, and light rare earth elements but depleted in high field strength elements. The granitoids are relatively depleted in whole-rock Sr-Nd isotope compositions with low (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7043–0.7048 and positive εNd(t) values of 0.5–2.6, and have relatively low 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios at given 206Pb/204Pb ratios. Laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry U-Pb dating on synmagmatic zircons yield ages of 77 ± 2–81 ± 1 Ma in the Late Cretaceous for their emplacement. Relict zircons have two groups of U-Pb ages in the late Mesozoic and the late Paleozoic, respectively. The whole-rock Sr-Nd isotopes in the granitoids are quite similar to those of Late Cretaceous mafic rocks in the Gangdese batholith. In addition, both synmagmatic zircons and relict zircons with Late Cretaceous U-Pb ages exhibit almost the same Hf-O isotope compositions to those of the slightly earlier mafic rocks. All these observations indicate that the granitoids were mainly derived from partial melting of the juvenile mafic arc crust. Therefore, reworking of the juvenile mafic arc crust is the mechanism for the origin of isotopically depleted granitoids in southern Tibet. It is this process that leads to differentiation of the juvenile mafic arc crust toward the felsic lithology in the continental arc. In this regard, the granitoids with depleted radiogenic isotope compositions do not necessarily contribute to the crustal growth at convergent plate boundaries.

INFLUENCE OF PULSED MAGMATIC ACTIVITY, LATENT HEAT, AND PARTIAL MELTING ON THE STRENGTH OF THE CONTINENTAL CRUST

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksi Rantanen ◽  
◽  
David Whipp ◽  
Jussi S. Heinonen ◽  
Lars Kaislaniemi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Magmatic Activity

Structure and spatial-temporal relationship of potassic magmatism linked to a continental-scale strike-slip shear zone and post-collisional Cenozoic extension

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
junyu Li ◽  
shunyun Cao ◽  
Xuemei Cheng ◽  
Haobo Wang ◽  
Wenxuan Li
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Shear Zone ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Red River ◽  
Compositional Variation ◽  
Continental Scale ◽  
Magmatic Rocks ◽  
Western Yunnan ◽  
Potassic Rocks ◽  
Potassic Magmatism

<p>Adakite‐like potassic rocks are widespread in post-collisional settings and provide potential insights into deep crustal or crust-mantle interaction processes including asthenosphere upwelling, partial melting, lower crustal flow, thickening and collapse of the overthickened orogen. However, petrogenesis and compositional variation of these adakite‐like potassic rocks and their implications are still controversial. Potassic magmatic rocks are abundant developed in the Jinshajiang–Ailaoshan tectono-magmatic belt that stretches from eastern Tibet over western Yunnan to Vietnam. Integrated studies of structure, geochronology, mineral compositions and geochemistry indicate adakite-like potassic rocks with different deformation are exposed along the Ailaoshan-Red River shear zone. The potassic felsic rocks formed by mixing and partial melting between enriched mantle-derived ultrapotassic and thickened ancient crust-derived magmas. The mixing of the mafic and felsic melts and their extended fractional crystallization of plagioclase, K-feldspar, hornblende and biotite gave rise to the potassic magmatic rocks. Zircon geochronology provide chronological markers for emplacement at 35–37 Ma of these adakite-like potassic rocks along the shear zone. Temperature and pressure calculated by amphibole-plagioclase thermobarometry range from 3.5 to 5.9 kbar and 650 to 750 ℃, respectively, and average emplacement depths of ca. 18 km for granodiorite within this suite. In combination with the results of the Cenozoic potassic magmatism in the Jinshajiang–Ailaoshan tectono-magmatic belt, we suggest that in addition to partial melting of the thickened ancient continental crust, magma underplating and subsequent crust-mantle mixing beneath the ancient continental crust have also played an important role in crustal reworking and strongly affected the rheological properties and density of rocks. The exhumation underlines the role of lateral motion of the Ailaoshan-Red River shear zone initiation by potassic magma-assisted rheological weakening and exhumation at high ambient temperatures within the shear zone.</p>

scholarly journals Non-subduction petrological mechanisms for the growth of the neoarcheam continental crust of the Kola–Norwegian terrane, Fennoscandian shield: geological and isotope-geochemical evidence

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-186
Author(s):  
A. B. Vrevskii
Keyword(s):  
Continental Crust ◽  
Greenstone Belt ◽  
Geochemical Modeling ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Fennoscandian Shield ◽  
Crustal Growth ◽  
Calc Alkaline ◽  
Geochemical Evidence

The paper reports new data on the composition and age of the Neoarchean calc-alkaline volcanic rocks of the Uraguba–Kolmozero–Voron’ya greenstone belt (UKV GB). Petrological-geochemical modeling indicates a polygenetic origin of primary melts of the basalt–andesite–dacite association and non-subduction geodynamic mechanisms for the crustal growth in the largest greenstone belt of the Kola–Norwegian Block of the Fennoscandian shield.

scholarly journals An anticlockwise metamorphic P-T path and nappe stacking in the Reisa Nappe Complex in the Scandinavian Caledonides, northern Norway: evidence for weakening of lower continental crust before and during continental collision

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly Faber ◽  
Holger Stünitz ◽  
Deta Gasser ◽  
Petr Jeřábek ◽  
Katrin Kraus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Structural Data ◽  
Geothermal Gradient ◽  
Continental Collision ◽  
Crustal Thickening ◽  
Northern Norway ◽  
Nappe Complex ◽  
T Path

Abstract. This study investigates the Caledonian metamorphic and tectonic evolution in northern Norway, examining the structure and tectonostratigraphy of the Reisa Nappe Complex (RNC; from bottom to top, Vaddas, Kåfjord and Nordmannvik nappes). Structural data, phase equilibrium modelling, and U-Pb zircon and titanite geochronology are used to constrain the timing and P-T conditions of deformation and metamorphism that formed the nappes and facilitated crustal thickening during continental collision. Five samples taken from different parts of the RNC reveal an anticlockwise P-T path attributed to the effects of early Silurian heating followed by thrusting. An early Caledonian S1 foliation in the Nordmannvik Nappe records kyanite-grade partial melting at ~ 760–790 °C and ~ 9.4–11 kbar. Leucosomes formed at 439 ± 2 Ma (U-Pb zircon) in fold axial planes in the Nordmannvik Nappe indicate that compressional deformation initiated while the rocks were still partially molten. This stage was followed by pervasive solid-state shearing as the rocks cooled and solidified, forming the S2 foliation at 680–730 °C and 9.5–10.9 kbar. Multistage titanite growth in the Nordmannvik Nappe records this extended metamorphism between 444 and 427 Ma. In the underlying Kåfjord Nappe, garnet cores record lower P-T (590–610 °C and 5.5–6.8 kbar) but a similar geothermal gradient as the S1 migmatitic event in the Nordmannvik Nappe, indicating formation at a higher relative position in the crust. S2 shearing in the Kåfjord Nappe occurred at 580–605 °C and 9.2–10.1 kbar, indicating a considerable pressure increase during nappe stacking. Gabbro intruded in the Vaddas Nappe at 439 ± 1 Ma, synchronously with migmatization in the Nordmannvik Nappe. In the Vaddas Nappe S2 shearing occurred at 630–640 ºC and 11.7–13 kbar. Titanite growth along the lower RNC boundary records S2-shearing at 432 ± 6 Ma. It emerges that early Silurian heating (~ 440 Ma), probably resulting from large-scale magma underplating, initiated partial melting that weakened the lower crust, which facilitated dismembering of the crust into individual nappe units. This tectonic style contrasts subduction of mechanically strong continental crust to great depths.

Origin of syn-collisional granitoids in the Gangdese orogen: Reworking of the juvenile arc crust and the ancient continental crust

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Wei Tang ◽  
Long Chen ◽  
Zi-Fu Zhao ◽  
Yong-Fei Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Continental Collision ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
Igneous Rocks ◽  
Early Eocene ◽  
Southern Tibet ◽  
Crustal Rocks ◽  
Mafic Magmas ◽  
T Values

Granitoids at convergent plate boundaries can be produced either by partial melting of crustal rocks (either continental or oceanic) or by fractional crystallization of mantle-derived mafic magmas. Whereas granitoid formation through partial melting of the continental crust results in reworking of the pre-existing continental crust, granitoid formation through either partial melting of the oceanic crust or fractional crystallization of the mafic magmas leads to growth of the continental crust. This category is primarily based on the radiogenic Nd isotope compositions of crustal rocks; positive εNd(t) values indicate juvenile crust whereas negative εNd(t) values indicate ancient crust. Positive εNd(t) values are common for syn-collisional granitoids in southern Tibet, which leads to the hypothesis that continental collision zones are important sites for the net growth of continental crust. This hypothesis is examined through an integrated study of in situ zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes, whole-rock major trace elements, and Sr-Nd-Hf isotopes as well as mineral O isotopes for felsic igneous rocks of Eocene ages from the Gangdese orogen in southern Tibet. The results show that these rocks can be divided into two groups according to their emplacement ages and geochemical features. The first group is less granitic with lower SiO2 contents of 59.82−64.41 wt%, and it was emplaced at 50−48 Ma in the early Eocene. The second group is more granitic with higher SiO2 contents of 63.93−68.81 wt%, and it was emplaced at 42 Ma in the late Eocene. The early Eocene granitoids exhibit relatively depleted whole-rock Sr-Nd-Hf isotope compositions with low (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7044−0.7048, positive εNd(t) values of 0.6−3.9, εHf(t) values of 6.5−10.5, zircon εHf(t) values of 1.6−12.1, and zircon δ18O values of 5.28−6.26‰. These isotopic characteristics are quite similar to those of Late Cretaceous mafic arc igneous rocks in the Gangdese orogen, which indicates their derivation from partial melting of the juvenile mafic arc crust. In comparison, the late Eocene granitoids have relatively lower MgO, Fe2O3, Al2O3, and heavy rare earth element (HREE) contents but higher K2O, Rb, Sr, Th, U, Pb contents, Sr/Y, and (La/Yb)N ratios. They also exhibit more enriched whole-rock Sr-Nd-Hf isotope compositions with high (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7070−0.7085, negative εNd(t) values of −5.2 to −3.9 and neutral εHf(t) values of 0.9−2.3, and relatively lower zircon εHf(t) values of −2.8−8.0 and slightly higher zircon δ18O values of 6.25−6.68‰. An integrated interpretation of these geochemical features is that both the juvenile arc crust and the ancient continental crust partially melted to produce the late Eocene granitoids. In this regard, the compositional evolution of syn-collisional granitoids from the early to late Eocene indicates a temporal change of their magma sources from the complete juvenile arc crust to a mixture of the juvenile and ancient crust. In either case, the syn-collisional granitoids in the Gangdese orogen are the reworking products of the pre-existing continental crust. Therefore, they do not contribute to crustal growth in the continental collision zone.

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