scholarly journals Igneous rock area and age in continental crust

Geology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanan E. Peters ◽  
Craig R. Walton ◽  
Jon M. Husson ◽  
Daven P. Quinn ◽  
Oliver Shorttle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Continental Crust ◽  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Igneous Rock ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Crustal Growth ◽  
Zircon Age ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Early Increase ◽  
Depositional Age ◽  
Detrital Zircon Ages

Rock quantity and age are fundamental features of Earth’s crust that pertain to many problems in geoscience. Here we combine new estimates of igneous rock area in continental crust from the Macrostrat database (https://macrostrat.org/) with a compilation of detrital zircon ages in order to investigate rock cycling and crustal growth. We find that there is little or no decrease in igneous rock area with increasing rock age. Instead, igneous rock area in North America exhibits four distinct Precambrian peaks, remains low through the Neoproterozoic, and then increases only modestly toward the recent. Peaks in Precambrian detrital zircon age frequency distributions align broadly with peaks in igneous rock area, regardless of grain depositional age. However, detrital zircon ages do underrepresent a Neoarchean peak in igneous rock area; young grains and ca. 1.1 Ga grains are also overrepresented relative to igneous area. Together, these results suggest that detrital zircon age distributions contain signatures of continental denudation and sedimentary cycling that are decoupled from the cycling of igneous source rocks. Models of continental crustal evolution that incorporate significant early increase in volume and increased sedimentation in the Phanerozoic are well supported by these data.

scholarly journals The Pre-Grenvillian assembly of the southeastern Laurentian margin through the U–Pb–Hf detrital zircon record of Mesoproterozoic supracrustal sequences (Central Grenville Province, Quebec, Canada)

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
K. Papapavlou ◽  
A. Moukhsil ◽  
A. Poirier ◽  
J.H.F.L. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Crustal Evolution ◽  
Crustal Growth ◽  
Grenville Province ◽  
Mantle Reservoir ◽  
Depositional Age ◽  
Laurentian Margin

Abstract The detrital zircon perspective on the pre-collisional crustal evolution of the Grenville Province remains poorly explored. In this study, we conducted in situ laser ablation U–Pb–Hf isotopic microanalysis on detrital zircon grains from three pre-orogenic (>1 Ga) supracrustal sequences that crop out in the Central Grenville Province (Lac Saint-Jean region, QC, CA). Detrital zircon grains from vestiges of these sequences record three dominant age peaks at c. 1.46 Ga, 1.62 Ga, 1.85 Ga, and a subordinate peak at 2.7 Ga. The 1.46 Ga and 1.62 Ga age peaks are recorded in detrital zircon grains from a quartzite associated with a metavolcanic sequence (i.e. Montauban Group) with a maximum depositional age of c. 1.44 Ga. In contrast, the c.1.85 Ga age peak is observed from recycled zircon grains in metasediments with maximum depositional ages between 1.2 and 1.3 Ga. The suprachondritic Hf isotope composition in detrital zircon grains of the 1.46 Ga and 1.62 Ga age populations records juvenile crustal growth during peri-Laurentian accretionary orogenesis related to the Pinwarian (1.4–1.5 Ga) and Mazatzalian–Labradorian (1.6–1.7 Ga) events. The detrital zircon grains associated with Penokean–Makkovikian (1.8–1.9 Ga) source rocks record reworking of c. 2.7 Ga continental crust derived from a near-chondritic mantle reservoir. Overall, crust-forming and basement reworking events associated with accretionary orogenesis in southeastern Laurentia are retained in the detrital zircon load of Precambrian basins even after the terminal Grenvillian collision and assembly of Rodinia.

scholarly journals Evaluating preservation bias in the continental growth record against the monazite archive

Geology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob A. Mulder ◽  
Peter A. Cawood
Keyword(s):  
Continental Crust ◽  
Crustal Growth ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Crust Formation ◽  
Zircon Age ◽  
Selective Preservation ◽  
Detrital Zircon Ages ◽  
Collisional Orogens ◽  
Continental Growth ◽  
Collisional Orogenesis

Most recent models of continental growth are based on large global compilations of detrital zircon ages, which preserve a distinctly episodic record of crust formation over billion-year timescales. However, it remains unclear whether this uneven distribution of zircon ages reflects a true episodicity in the generation of continental crust through time or is an artifact of the selective preservation of crust isolated in the interior of collisional orogens. We address this issue by analyzing a new global compilation of monazite ages (n >100,000), which is comparable in size, temporal resolution, and spatial distribution to the zircon continental growth record and unambiguously records collisional orogenesis. We demonstrate that the global monazite and zircon age distributions are strongly correlated throughout most of Earth history, implying a link between collisional orogenesis and the preserved record of continental growth. Our findings support the interpretation that the continental crust provides a preservational, rather than generational, archive of crustal growth.

Detrital zircon geochronology of quartzite clasts in the Permian Abo Formation, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico, USA

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Malone ◽  
John Craddock ◽  
Eric Deck ◽  
Tenley Banik ◽  
Brian Hampton
Keyword(s):  
New Mexico ◽  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Detrital Zircons ◽  
Zircon Age ◽  
Detrital Zircon Geochronology ◽  
Sacramento Mountains ◽  
Central Texas ◽  
Depositional Age ◽  
Detrital Zircon Ages

More than 2500 m of Paleozoic strata, ranging in age from Cambrian to Permian occur in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico, making these rocks the largest and most complete exposures of Paleozoic strata in North America. The core of the Sacramento Mountains reveals compressional structures associated with the Pennsylvanian-Permian Ancestral Rocky Mountain orogeny. The Permian Abo Formation is 120–450 m in thickness, and consists of interbedded sandstone, conglomerate, limestone and shale and rests above the Ancestral Rocky Mountain unconformity. U-Pb analysis of detrital zircons extracted from quartzite clasts in basal conglomerates reveal a maximum depositional age of their protolith to be 1110 ± 15 Ma. Most (∼40%) of the detrital zircon age spectrum is Grenville (1000–1300 Ma) in age, with a peak age of 1209 Ma. Midcontinent Granite-Rhyolite (1300–1500 Ma) ages comprise about 33% of the data, and have a peak age of 1431 Ma. Smaller age populations of Yavapai-Mazatzal (1600–1800 Ma; age peak =1676 Ma), Trans-Hudson (1800–2000 Ma; peak age = 1820 Ma), and Archean (>2.5 Ga, age peak = 2819 Ma) also are present. U-Pb detrital zircon ages from these quartzite clasts indicate that they were likely derived from the Proterozoic Lanoria Formation, which is exposed now in the Franklin Mountains >150 km to the south. The Lanoria is identical to the Abo clasts in terms of maximum depositional age and detrital zircon age peaks. The protolith sandstone of these quartzite clasts and quartzites of the Lanoria were derived from the Grenville high-lands of the Llano region of central Texas, and then transported west to the Rodinian continental margin at ∼1110 Ma, where they were eventually buried and metamorphosed to quartzite. These quartzites were subsequently uplifted and eroded during the Ancestral Rocky Mountain orogeny and transported north and west along the Pedernal Uplift to the adjacent Orogrande Basin during the early Permian.

Caledonian terrane amalgamation of Svalbard: detrital zircon provenance of Mesoproterozoic to Carboniferous strata from Oscar II Land, western Spitsbergen

2013 ◽  
Vol 150 (6) ◽  
pp. 1103-1126 ◽  
Author(s):  
DETA GASSER ◽  
ARILD ANDRESEN
Keyword(s):  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
Zircon Age ◽  
The North ◽  
Tectonic History ◽  
Icp Ms ◽  
Depositional Age ◽  
Sveconorwegian Orogen

AbstractThe tectonic origin of pre-Devonian rocks of Svalbard has long been a matter of debate. In particular, the origin and assemblage of pre-Devonian rocks of western Spitsbergen, including a blueschist-eclogite complex in Oscar II Land, are enigmatic. We present detrital zircon U–Pb LA-ICP-MS data from six Mesoproterozoic to Carboniferous samples and one U–Pb TIMS zircon age from an orthogneiss from Oscar II Land in order to discuss tectonic models for this region. Variable proportions of Palaeo- to Neoproterozoic detritus dominate the metasedimentary samples. The orthogneiss has an intrusion age of 927 ± 3 Ma. Comparison with detrital zircon age spectra from other units of similar depositional age within the North Atlantic region indicates that Oscar II Land experienced the following tectonic history: (1) the latest Mesoproterozoic sequence was part of a successor basin which originated close to the Grenvillian–Sveconorwegian orogen, and which was intruded byc. 980–920 Ma plutons; (2) the Neoproterozoic sediments were deposited in a large-scale basin which stretched along the Baltoscandian margin; (3) the eclogite-blueschist complex and the overlying Ordovician–Silurian sediments probably formed to the north of the Grampian/Taconian arc; (4) strike-slip movements assembled the western coast of Spitsbergen outside of, and prior to, the main Scandian collision; and (5) the remaining parts of Svalbard were assembled by strike-slip movements during the Devonian. Our study confirms previous models of complex Caledonian terrane amalgamation with contrasting tectonic histories for the different pre-Devonian terranes of Svalbard and particularly highlights the non-Laurentian origin of Oscar II Land.

Neoproterozoic active margin in the northwestern Yangtze Block, South China: new clues from detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology and geochemistry of sedimentary rocks from the Hengdan Group

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Bo Hui ◽  
Yunpeng Dong ◽  
Feifei Zhang ◽  
Shengsi Sun ◽  
Shuai He
Keyword(s):  
South China ◽  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Active Continental Margin ◽  
Geodynamic Setting ◽  
Provenance Analysis ◽  
Yangtze Block ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Zircon Age ◽  
Age Patterns ◽  
Depositional Age

Abstract The Yangtze Block in South China constitutes an important Precambrian landmass in the present East Asian continent. The Neoproterozoic sedimentary successions of the Hengdan Group in the NW Yangtze Block record essential information for deciphering the Neoproterozoic tectonics along the NW margin. However, its depositional age, provenance and tectonic properties remain uncertain. Here, a combined analysis of detrital zircon U–Pb dating and geochemistry is performed on representative samples from the Hengdan Group. Concordant dating results of samples from the bottom and upper parts constrain the maximum depositional age at c. 720 Ma. Detrital zircon age patterns of samples reveal a uniformly pronounced age peak at c. 915–720 Ma, which is consistent with the magmatic pulses in domains at the NW end of the Yangtze Block. In addition, these samples display left-sloping post-Archaean Australian shale (PAAS)-normalized rare-earth element patterns and variable trace element patterns, resembling sediments accumulated in a basin related to an active continental margin geodynamic setting. Provenance analysis reveals that the main sources featured intermediate to felsic components, which experienced rapid erosion and sedimentation. These integrated new investigations, along with previous compilations, indicate that the Hengdan Group might have been deposited in a fore-arc basin controlled by subduction beneath the Bikou Terrane. Thus, such interpretation further supports proposals for subduction-related tectonics along the western margin of the Yangtze Block during the early Neoproterozoic.

scholarly journals Supplemental Material: Detrital zircon geochronology and Hf isotope geochemistry of Mesozoic sedimentary basins in south-central Alaska: Insights into regional sediment transport, basin development, and tectonics along the NW Cordilleran margin

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.R. Fasulo ◽  
et al.
Keyword(s):  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Isotope Geochemistry ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Alaska Range ◽  
Zircon Age ◽  
Detrital Zircon Geochronology ◽  
South Central ◽  
Cordilleran Margin ◽  
Detrital Zircon Ages

Supplemental Figure S1. Normalized distribution plot of detrital zircon ages from the Kahiltna assemblage of the central Alaska Range (Hampton et al., 2010), the Wellesly basin (this study), and the Kahiltna assemblage of the northwestern Talkeetna Mountains (Hampton et al., 2010). Note that the detrital zircon age distribution of ages older than 500 Ma has 10× vertical exaggeration.

scholarly journals U-Pb Ages and Hf Isotopes of Detrital Zircon Grains from the Mesoproterozoic Chuanlinggou Formation in North China Craton: Implications for the Geochronology of Sedimentary Iron Deposits and Crustal Evolution

Minerals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Duan ◽  
Yanhe Li ◽  
Yun Yang ◽  
Yongsheng Liang ◽  
Minghui Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
North China Craton ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
North China ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Weighted Average ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Magmatic Zircon ◽  
Crustal Growth ◽  
Iron Deposits

The Chuanlinggou Formation is the lower formation of the Changchengian System, and hosts sedimentary iron deposits (marine oolitic ironstones) of the North China Craton (NCC). To determine the age of the iron deposits, and provide insight into the crustal growth of the craton, laser ablation multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS)U-Pb and in situ Hf isotope analysis were performed on detrital zircon grains. Samples were taken from the roof sand-shale of the sedimentary iron deposits at Jiangjiazhai and Pangjiapbu. Overall, 186 detrital zircon grain U-Pb ages yield three major age populations, with weighted average ages of 2450 Ma, 1848 Ma, and 1765 Ma, respectively. Four younger ages from magmatic zircon grains were obtained, ranging from 1694 to 1657 Ma. Combined with observations from published studies, the results define the lower limit for the age of the Chuanlinggou Formation, and constrain the age of the sedimentary iron deposits (marine oolitic ironstone) close to 1650 Ma. The peak ages of 1848 Ma and 2450 Ma define the major collisional events of the NCC. The age of 1765 Ma can be linked to the age range of the widespread mafic dyke swarms that represent the rifting of the NCC within the Columbia supercontinent. Detrital zircon grains from the Chuanlinggou Formation form two obvious groups, with different εHf (t) values ranging from −1 to −8 and from +1 to +8, which correspond to the U-Pb age ranges of 1.7–1.9 Ga and 2.3–2.6 Ga, respectively. They have a similar two-stage Hf model age peak at 2.65–2.85 Ga, suggesting that the source rocks for each of these events were derived from the recycling of ancient crust. The source rocks of the older group of zircon grains might be derived from juvenile crust with a short reworking period. The critical crust–mantle differentiation event might happen during the period of 2.65–2.85 Ga, marking the most significant stage of the crustal growth in the NCC.

scholarly journals Relationships between Alluvial Facies/Depositional Environments, Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology, and Bulk-Rock Geochemistry in the Cretaceous Neungju Basin (Southwest Korea)

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1023
Author(s):  
Hyojong Lee ◽  
Min Gyu Kwon ◽  
Seungwon Shin ◽  
Hyeongseong Cho ◽  
Jong-Sun Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Continental Margin ◽  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Tectonic Setting ◽  
Active Continental Margin ◽  
Depositional Environments ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Bulk Rock ◽  
Zircon Age ◽  
Margin Setting ◽  
Weathering Intensity

Zircon U-Pb geochronology and bulk-rock geochemistry analyses were carried out to investigate their relationship with depositional environments of the non-marine Neungju Basin sediments in South Korea. The Neungju Basin was formed in an active continental margin setting during the Late Cretaceous with associated volcanism. Detrital zircon age distributions of the Neungju Basin reveal that the source rocks surrounding the basin supplied sediments into the basin from all directions, making different zircon age populations according to the depositional environments. Mudstone geochemistry with support of detrital zircon U-Pb age data reveals how the heterogeneity affects the geochemical characteristics of tectonic setting and weathering intensity. The sediments in the proximal (alluvial fan to sandflat) and distal (playa lake) environments differ compositionally because sediment mixing occurred exclusively in the distal environment. The proximal deposits show a passive margin signature, reflecting their derivation from the adjacent metamorphic and granitic basement rocks. The distal deposits properly indicate an active continental margin setting due to the additional supply of reworked volcaniclastic sediments. The proximal deposits indicate a minor degree of chemical weathering corresponding to fossil and sedimentological records of the basin, whereas the distal deposits show lower weathering intensity by reworking of unaltered volcaniclastic detritus from unstable volcanic and volcaniclastic terranes. Overall, this study highlights that compositional data obtained from a specific location and depositional environments may not describe the overall characteristic of the basin.

scholarly journals Revisiting the Intermediate Sediment Repository Concept Applied to the Provenance of Zircon

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 233
Author(s):  
Manuel Francisco Pereira ◽  
Cristina Gama
Keyword(s):  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Beach Sand ◽  
Density Estimator ◽  
Zircon Age ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Sedimentary System ◽  
Siliciclastic Rocks

This paper revisits the intermediate sediment repository (ISR) concept applied to provenance, using a comparison of the detrital zircon population of Holocene beach sand from the southwest Portuguese coast with populations from their potential source rocks. The U–Pb age of detrital zircon grains in siliciclastic rocks allows for the interpretation of provenance by matching them with the crystallization ages of igneous source (protosource) rocks in which this mineral originally crystallized or which was subsequently recycled from it, acting as ISRs. The comparative analysis of the Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Cretaceous ages using recent statistical tools (e.g., kernel density estimator (KDE), cumulative age distribution (CAD), and multidimensional scaling (MDS)) suggests that the zircon age groups of Carboniferous, Triassic, and Pliocene-Pleistocene ISRs are reproduced faithfully in Holocene sand. Furthermore, the recycling of a protosource (Cretaceous syenite) in a sedimentary system dominated by ISRs is evaluated. It is argued that the ISR concept, which is not always taken into account, is required for a better understanding of the inherent complexity of local provenance and to differentiate sediment recycling from first- cycle erosion of an igneous rock.

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