Martin Okrusch

Geochronology of high-pressure rocks on Sifnos (Cyclades, Greece)

Polymetamorphic rocks of Sifnos (Greece) have been investigated by Rb-Sr, K-Ar, and fission track methods. Critical mineral assemblages from the northern and southernmost parts of Sifnos include jadeite+quartz+3T phengite, and omphacite+garnet +3T phengite, whereas the central part is characterized by the assemblage albite+chlorite+epidote+2M1 phengite.K-Ar and Rb-Sr dates on phengites (predominantly 3T) of the best preserved high P/itTmetamorphic rocks from northern Sifnos gave concordant ages around 42 m.y., indicating a Late Lutetian age for the high P/T metamorphism. Phengites (2M1+3T) of less preserved high P/T assemblages yielded K-Ar dates between 48 and 41 m.y. but generally lower Rb-Sr dates. The higher K-Ar dates are interpreted as being elevated by excess argon.K-Ar and Rb-Sr ages on 2M1 phengites from central Sifnos vary between 24 and 21 m.y. These ages date a second, greenschist-facies metamorphism which overprinted the earlier high-pressure metamorphic rocks.

K-Ar geochronology of different tectonic units at the northwestern margin of the Bohemian Massif

Abstract The polymetamorphic Moldanubian (MO) of the northeasthern margin of the Bohemian Massif has been thrust to the north onto the mainly Paleozoic sedimentary Saxothuringian of the Fichtelgebirge (FG). These two units have undergone polyphase deformation and the last regional event to affect both units was a low-pressure metamorphism in which temperatures decreased towards the north. In contrast, the nappe units of the Erbendorf-Vohenstrauss Zone (ZEV) and the Erbendorf Greenschist Zone (EGZ), which partly cover the border of the Moldanubian and the Saxothuringian, and the Munchberg nappe pile (MM), which lies on the Saxothuringian, were in parts subjected to a late medium-pressure metamorphic event. The ZEV, the EGZ, the MO and the FG are intruded by Late Carboniferous granites. Conventional K-Ar analyses, mainly of hornblendes and muscovites from the autochthonous FG and MO, the units beneath the nappes, have yielded exclusively Carboniferous dates. The oldest dates point to a regional cooling of the rocks which outcrop at the present-day surface at about 330-320 Ma, i.e., at the Early-Late Carboniferous boundary. The Late Carboniferous cooling history was largely governed by the thermal influence of the post-kinematic granites (320-295 Ma), especially in the FG and the northern MO. The high-grade metamorphic rocks in the western part of the ZEV and in the upper three nappes of the MM mostly yield dates around 380 Ma i.e., Early Devonian. The results show a relatively wide scatter. Moreover, biotites frequently appear to be older than the coexisting muscovites. Both observations indicate that the rocks underwent a later thermal influence. Whether some groups of older dates (e.g., 400 Ma) are due to excess argon or to inherited argon is still open to discussion. Slightly scattered muscovite dates around 366 Ma were obtained for the prasinite-phyllite series, one of the lower nappes of the MM. A single hornblende from the EGZ gave the same age. These two nappes have, therefore, probably been affected by a Late Devonian thermal and/or tectonic event. The muscovite dates obtained from the Paleozoic Bavarian lithofacies, the lowermost nappe of the MM ∗ , and the hornblende dates from the eastern part of the ZEV are indistinguishable from those of the autochthonous units FG and MO.

Eclogite-facies rocks in the Saxonian Erzgebirge, Germany: high pressure metamorphism under contrasting P-T conditions

The metamorphic sequences of the Saxonian Erzgebirge were thoroughly overprinted by a Variscan medium-pressure event under amphibolite facies conditions. However, eclogitic relics documenting an older high-pressure event are widespread. P-T conditions of the eclogite-facies metamorphism systematically decrease, over a distance of 50 km, from about >29 kbar/850°C, in the central part, to 20–24 kbar/650°C, in the westernmost part of the Erzgebirge crystalline complex. A distinct gap in P-T conditions exists between the central and the western Erzgebirge coinciding with the fault zone of the Flöha syncline. Therefore, the eclogitebearing sequences are assumed to represent at least two different nappe units. The lower-grade eclogite assemblages in the western Erzgebirge display a continuous metamorphic zonation with a gradual decrease of peak metamorphic temperatures towards the west. Assemblages formed in the stability field of coesite and thus indicating a regional ultra-high pressure metamorphism, are restricted to the central Erzgebirge, where they are widespread in the eclogites, but also present in metaacidic country rocks. The same high-temperature/high-pressure conditions, testifying to a burial of at least 100 km, were independently recorded for the ultramafic garnet pyroxenites associated with the eclogites of the central Erzgebirge. Mineral relics included in the eclogite phases and mineral assemblages formed by retrograde reactions permit reconstruction of the prograde and retrograde P-T paths in the different parts of the Erzgebirge crystalline complex.

Eo-alpine metamorphism in the uppermost unit of the Cretan nappe system — Petrology and geochronology

The uppermost unit of the Cretan nappe system consists of ophiolites on the top, and an ophiolitic mélange at the base.Among the various constituents of the mélange, there are slices of low-P/high-T metamorphics. They form a variegated series consisting of tholeiitic ortho-amphibolites, para-amphibolites, andalusite and sillimanite-cordierite-garnet bearing mica schists, calcsilicate rocks, and marbles. The metamorphic sequence is locally intruded by early tectonic magmatites of gabbroic, dioritic and granitic composition. Critical mineral assemblages lead to a maximum temperature of about 700° C reached during metamorphism, at a total pressure of 4–5 kilobars. K — Ar dating on 6 hornblendes, 7 biotites and 1 muscovite yielded cooling ages of 75–66 m.y. and confirmed earlier results according to which the metamorphism and related magmatism took place in Late Cretaceous times.In order to evaluate the age relationships between the hightemperature metamorphics within the ophiolitic mélange and the ophiolites, hornblendes from ultramafic and mafic rocks of the ophiolite complex were dated by the K — Ar method. Hornblende from one schistose hornblendite forming a constituent of the ophiolites proper yielded 156 m.y. and thus provides a middle Jurassic minimum age for the formation of this piece of oceanic lithosphere. Four hornblendes of calc-alkaline gabbrodiorite dikes within the ophiolite complex gave distinctly lower K — Ar dates of about 140 m.y.. The dikes probably intruded after the detachment of the ophiolites in an island-arc or continental-margin environment.As a consequence, the high-temperature metamorphics and related intrusives in the ophiolitic mélange of Crete are genetically unrelated to the overlying ophiolites. The paleogeographic position of the crystalline terrane, slices of which are now incorporated into the ophiolitic mélange is still open to discussion.

Granulite-facies metabasite ejecta in the Laacher See area, Eifel, West Germany

Abstract Near the village of Engeln, Laacher See area, garnet-bearing pyriclasite and pyribolite ejecta were recognized as constituents of alkaline basaltic tuffs; they are interpreted as fragments of the lowermost crust. During the first main stage of granulite facies metamorphism, assemblages with garnet (Alm 47 Pyr 34 Spess 2 Gross + Andr 17 ), clinopyroxene (Wo 37 En 35 Fs 15 Ts 8.5 Jd 4.5 ), orthopyroxene I (En 34 Fs 38 Ts 4 Jd 2 ), and plagioclase I (An 40 -An 60 ) were formed in a temperature range of 730–850°C and rock pressures somewhere between 6.5 and 12 kb, P tot > P H 2 O > 0 . The rare sulfate-rich meionite, and at least a part of the ubiquitous brown hornblende were presumably also formed during this stage. A retrograde metamorphic event under slightly lower pressures and temperatures led to the breakdown of the assemblage garnet + clinopyroxene thereby forming coronas of plagioclase II ( An 75 ) + orthopyroxene II + Ti-magnetite ± brown hornblende .

Eclogite facies relics and a multistage breakdown in metabasites of the KTB pilot hole, NE Bavaria: implications for the Variscan tectonometamorphic evolution of the NW Bohemian Massif

Complex reaction textures in coronitic metagabbros and retrograded eclogites of the KTB pilot and an adjacent drilling provide evidence for a multistage metamorphic history in the Variscan basement of the NW Bohemian Massif. The eclogites show complete metamorphic recrystallization leaving no textural or mineral relics of their igneous precursors. In contrast, textural relics of the igneous protolith are still preserved in the metagabbros where the metamorphic overprint under high pressure conditions achieved only partial replacement of the initial assemblage plagioclase + augite + amphibole (+olivine or orthopyroxene?) + ilmenite to form the eclogite facies assemblage garnet + omphacite + kyanite + zoisite + quartz+rutile. The garnets in the metagabbros occur in the typical ‘necklace’ fashion at the borders between the original plagioclase and mafic phase domains. In the same rocks, omphacite formed by a topotactic reaction mechanism replacing igneous augite as well as in smaller grains at the margins of the texturally igneous clinopyroxene where it occurs without fixed orientation with respect to the relict phase. Both eclogites and metagabbros show a partial breakdown under high pressure granulite (transitional to high pressure amphibolite) facies conditions during which omphacite broke down to vermicular symplectites of diopside + plagioclase. A later pervasive medium pressure metamorphism under amphibolite facies conditions led to the development of assemblages dominated by hornblende + plagioclase+titanite: phases prevailing in the overwhelming majority of the surrounding metabasites. Subsequent vein-associated retrogression produced minerals typical of the greenschist to zeolite facies. All metamorphic stages may be represented in a single thin section but although the overall reaction sequence is apparent, the obvious disequilibrium in the rocks makes the use of conventional geothermobarometry difficult. However, calculations made by assuming an approach to domainal equilibrium show that both the eclogite facies and early breakdown occurred above 10 kb. As the metamorphic unit hosting these particular metabasites is generally characterized by pressures below 10 kb these results have important implications for understanding the tectonometamorphic evolution of the region. The relationship between the studied rocks and other units in the NW Bohemian Massif exhibiting a multistage metamorphic evolution is discussed and possible tectonic models evaluated.

Reequilibration of Ultramafic Xenoliths from Namibia by Metasomatic Processes at the Mantle Boundary

Mantle xenoliths from the Hanaus and the Anis Kubub pipes in the Gibeon Kimberlite Province of southern Namibia show evidence for intensive heating in lower as well as intermediate lithospheric levels. The investigated samples are garnet- and spinel-bearing peridotites (as well as one orthopyroxenite) with granular, partly sheared, and sheared textures. While granular and partly sheared xenoliths reveal distinct zonation patterns, most of the sheared xenoliths display perfect mineral equilibria. Thermobarometric estimates for the primary mineral assemblages of these samples plot in the graphite stability field with maximum P-T conditions of about 1320°C at 44 kbar in garnet harzburgites and a minimum of about 630°C at 19 kbar in spinel lherzolites. The initial steady-state geotherm of

Garnet-cordierite-biotite equilibria in the Steinach aureole, Bavaria

44 mW/m^{2}