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Timing of ophiolite obduction in the Grampian orogen

Chew, David M. ; Daly, J. Stephen ; Magna, Tomas ; Page, Laurence LU ; Kirkland, Christopher L. ; Whitehouse, Martin J. and Lam, Rebecca (2010) In Geological Society of America Bulletin 122(11-12). p.1787-1799
Abstract
This study addresses the timing and pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions of ophiolite obduction, one of the proposed causes of the ca. 470 Ma Grampian orogeny of Scotland and Ireland. This event gave rise to the main structural and metamorphic characteristics of the Grampian terrane-the type area for Barrovian metamorphism, the cause of which remains enigmatic despite a century of research. Zircons from the Highland Border ophiolite, Scotland, define a 499 +/- 8 Ma U-Pb concordia age, which is interpreted as dating magmatism. Its metamorphism is dated by a 490 +/- 4 Ma Ar-40-Ar-39 hornblende age, and a 488 +/- 1 Ma Ar-40-Ar-39 muscovite age from a metasedimentary xenolith within it, from which P-T estimates of 5.3 kbar and 580 degrees C... (More)
This study addresses the timing and pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions of ophiolite obduction, one of the proposed causes of the ca. 470 Ma Grampian orogeny of Scotland and Ireland. This event gave rise to the main structural and metamorphic characteristics of the Grampian terrane-the type area for Barrovian metamorphism, the cause of which remains enigmatic despite a century of research. Zircons from the Highland Border ophiolite, Scotland, define a 499 +/- 8 Ma U-Pb concordia age, which is interpreted as dating magmatism. Its metamorphism is dated by a 490 +/- 4 Ma Ar-40-Ar-39 hornblende age, and a 488 +/- 1 Ma Ar-40-Ar-39 muscovite age from a metasedimentary xenolith within it, from which P-T estimates of 5.3 kbar and 580 degrees C relate to ophiolite obduction. Metamorphism of the Deerpark complex ophiolitic melange (Irish correlative of the Highland Border ophiolite) is constrained by a 514 +/- 3 Ma Ar-40-Ar-39 hornblende age, while mica schist slivers within it yield detrital zircon U-Pb ages consistent with Laurentian provenance and Rb-Sr and Ar-40-Ar-39 muscovite ages of ca. 482 Ma. P-T values of 3.3 kbar and 580 degrees C for the mica schist constrain the conditions of ophiolite obduction. Metamorphic mineral ages from the Grampian terrane (Dalradian Supergroup) are substantially younger (ca. 475-465 Ma) than those from the ophiolites. If conductive heating in overthickened crust was the cause of Barrovian metamorphism, then collisional thickening must have started soon after ophiolite obduction at ca. 490 Ma in order to generate the ca. 470 Ma metamorphic peak in the Grampian terrane. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Geological Society of America Bulletin
volume
122
issue
11-12
pages
1787 - 1799
publisher
Geological Society of America
external identifiers
  • wos:000283546200003
  • scopus:78049425038
ISSN
0016-7606
DOI
10.1130/B30139.1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a73050eb-af65-409d-b379-e86c751c083d (old id 1719690)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:31:47
date last changed
2022-03-29 07:58:33
@article{a73050eb-af65-409d-b379-e86c751c083d,
  abstract     = {{This study addresses the timing and pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions of ophiolite obduction, one of the proposed causes of the ca. 470 Ma Grampian orogeny of Scotland and Ireland. This event gave rise to the main structural and metamorphic characteristics of the Grampian terrane-the type area for Barrovian metamorphism, the cause of which remains enigmatic despite a century of research. Zircons from the Highland Border ophiolite, Scotland, define a 499 +/- 8 Ma U-Pb concordia age, which is interpreted as dating magmatism. Its metamorphism is dated by a 490 +/- 4 Ma Ar-40-Ar-39 hornblende age, and a 488 +/- 1 Ma Ar-40-Ar-39 muscovite age from a metasedimentary xenolith within it, from which P-T estimates of 5.3 kbar and 580 degrees C relate to ophiolite obduction. Metamorphism of the Deerpark complex ophiolitic melange (Irish correlative of the Highland Border ophiolite) is constrained by a 514 +/- 3 Ma Ar-40-Ar-39 hornblende age, while mica schist slivers within it yield detrital zircon U-Pb ages consistent with Laurentian provenance and Rb-Sr and Ar-40-Ar-39 muscovite ages of ca. 482 Ma. P-T values of 3.3 kbar and 580 degrees C for the mica schist constrain the conditions of ophiolite obduction. Metamorphic mineral ages from the Grampian terrane (Dalradian Supergroup) are substantially younger (ca. 475-465 Ma) than those from the ophiolites. If conductive heating in overthickened crust was the cause of Barrovian metamorphism, then collisional thickening must have started soon after ophiolite obduction at ca. 490 Ma in order to generate the ca. 470 Ma metamorphic peak in the Grampian terrane.}},
  author       = {{Chew, David M. and Daly, J. Stephen and Magna, Tomas and Page, Laurence and Kirkland, Christopher L. and Whitehouse, Martin J. and Lam, Rebecca}},
  issn         = {{0016-7606}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11-12}},
  pages        = {{1787--1799}},
  publisher    = {{Geological Society of America}},
  series       = {{Geological Society of America Bulletin}},
  title        = {{Timing of ophiolite obduction in the Grampian orogen}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/B30139.1}},
  doi          = {{10.1130/B30139.1}},
  volume       = {{122}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}