Thermal structure and exhumation history of the Lesser Himalaya in central Nepal

The Lesser Himalaya (LH) consists of metasedimentary rocks that have been scrapped off from the underthrusting Indian crust and accreted to the mountain range over the last ~20 Myr. It now forms a significant fraction of the Himalayan collisional orogen. We document the kinematics and thermal metamorphism associated with the deformation and exhumation of the LH, combining thermometric and thermochronological methods with structural geology. Peak metamorphic temperatures estimated from Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material decrease gradually from 520°–550°C below the Main Central Thrust zone down to less than 330°C. These temperatures describe structurally a 20°–50°C/km inverted apparent gradient. The Ar muscovite ages from LH samples and from the overlying crystalline thrust sheets all indicate the same regular trend; i.e., an increase from about 3–4 Ma near the front of the high range to about 20 Ma near the leading edge of the thrust sheets, about 80 km to the south. This suggests that the LH has been exhumed jointly with the overlying nappes as a result of overthrusting by about 5 mm/yr. For a convergence rate of about 20 mm/yr, this implies underthrusting of the Indian basement below the Himalaya by about 15 mm/yr. The structure, metamorphic grade and exhumation history of the LH supports the view that, since the mid-Miocene, the Himalayan orogen has essentially grown by underplating, rather than by frontal accretion. This process has resulted from duplexing at a depth close to the brittle-ductile transition zone, by southward migration of a midcrustal ramp along the Main Himalayan Thrust fault, and is estimated to have resulted in a net flux of up to 150 m^2/yr of LH rocks into the Himalayan orogenic wedge. The steep inverse thermal gradient across the LH is interpreted to have resulted from a combination of underplating and post metamorphic shearing of the underplated units

Thermochemistry of monazite-(La) and dissakisite-(La): implications for monazite and allanite stability in metapelites

Thermochemical properties have been either measured or estimated for synthetic monazite, LaPO4, and dissakisite, CaLaMgAl2(SiO4)3OH, the Mg-equivalent of allanite. A dissakisite formation enthalpy of −6,976.5±10.0kJmol−1 was derived from high-temperature drop-solution measurements in lead borate at 975K. A third-law entropy value of 104.9±1.6Jmol−1K−1 was retrieved from low-temperature heat capacity (C p) measured on synthetic LaPO4 with an adiabatic calorimeter in the 30-300K range. The C p values of lanthanum phases were measured in the 143-723K range by differential scanning calorimetry. In this study, La(OH)3 appeared as suitable for drop solution in lead borate and represents an attractive alternative to La2O3. Pseudo-sections were calculated with the THERIAK-DOMINO software using the thermochemical data retrieved here for a simplified metapelitic composition (La=∑REE+Y) and considering monazite and Fe-free epidotes along the dissakisite-clinozoïsite join, as the only REE-bearing minerals. Calculation shows a stability window for dissakisite-clinozoïsite epidotes (T between 250 and 550°C and P between 1 and 16kbar), included in a wide monazite field. The P-T extension of this stability window depends on the bulk-rock Ca-content. Assuming that synthetic LaPO4 and dissakisite-(La) are good analogues of natural monazite and allanite, these results are consistent with the REE-mineralogy sequence observed in metapelites, where (1) monazite is found to be stable below 250°C, (2) around 250-450°C, depending on the pressure, allanite forms at the expense of monazite and (3) towards amphibolite conditions, monazite reappears at the expense of allanit

Nitrogen determination in micas of metamorphic rocks

6 pages, 1 table, 1 figure.-- Proceedings of the Seventeenth International Conference on Ion Beam Analysis.-- El pdf del artículo es la versión post-print.-- et al.Micas are minerals that provide large amounts of information regarding geological processes, because of the sensitivity of their chemical composition to temperature, pressure and deformation of rocks in which they form. Rocks under analysis are formed of different minerals with variable grain size. Mica grain size may vary between 5 and 10 μm and approximately correspond to the chemical formula (Si3.2Al0.8)O10(Al1.9Fe0.05Mg0.1)(OH)2(K0.75Na0.05), being distinguishable from other minerals because of their composition and their morphology in secondary electron images and specially backscattered electron (BSE) images. NH4, when present, would partially substitute K in the previous formula. In some cases NH4-rich micas (tobelites) have been described coexisting with the corresponding K-rich micas, but the actual NH4 content of normal K-rich micas is still unknown. Low N content makes necessary to use nuclear reactions such as 14N(d, pγ)15N at 1.4 MeV and its cascade of intense γ-rays. For the quantification and localization of nitrogen on the surface of the samples, PIGE analysis was carried out in the vacuum microprobe line of the CNA, together with simultaneous micro-RBS and micro-PIXE analyses, giving a more comprehensive picture of sample structure and composition.Peer reviewe

Along-strike variations of P-T conditions in accretionary wedges and syn-orogenic extension, the HP-LT Phyllite-Quartzite Nappe in Crete and the Peloponnese

International audienceSyn-orogenic detachments in accretionary wedges make the exhumation of high-pressure and low-temperature metamorphic rocks possible with little erosion. The velocity of exhumation within the subduction channel or the accretionary complex, and thus the shape of P-T paths, depend upon the kinematic boundary conditions. A component of slab retreat tends to open the channel and facilitates the exhumation. We document the effect of slab retreat on the shape of P-T paths using the example of the Phyllite-Quartzite Nappe that has been exhumed below the Cretan syn-orogenic detachment during the Miocene in Crete and the Peloponnese. Data show a clear tendency toward colder conditions at peak pressure and during exhumation where the intensity of slab retreat is larger. This spatial evolution of P-T gradient is accompanied with an evolution from a partly coaxial regime below the Peloponnese section of the detachment toward a clearly non-coaxial regime in Crete

High-pressure, low-temperature metamorphism in the Sebtides nappes, northern Rif, Morocco

On the southern bank of the Gibraltar strait, the Permian-Triassic phyllites of the Sebtides-Alpujarrides nappes yielded edogite and biueschist-fades relic assemblages. The various metamorphic units are juxtaposed through retrograde contacts. The HP-LTmetamorphism indicates an Alpine subduction event.Las metapelitas Permo-Triassicas de los mantas Sebtides-Alpurarrides cerca de Ceuta tienen asociaciones minerales de alta presión, baja temperatura (talco-fengita-distena-Mg-cloritoide-Mg-carfolita en la unidad piu baja; asociaciones de menor presión en las unidades mas alta). Los diferentes mantas están superpuestos por medio de contactos retrógrados. El metamorfismo inicial de alta presión se debió producir como consecuencia de un proceso de subducción continental

Asociaciones minerales de alta presión-baja temperatura en la unidad del Trevenque (Alpujárrides Centrales, Andalucía)

The Trevenque Unit is located in the Alpujarride Complex. In this unit, the Fe-Mg carpholite, cloritoid, chlorite, kyanite aragonite assemblages show metamorphic evolution at HP-LT conditions The metamorphic peal< is estimated to have been at 400-4500 C and at least 10 Kb. The pressure conditions in the Alpujarride Complex are similar to those observed in the underlying Nevado-Filabrides ComplexEn la formación de metapelitas Permo-Werfenienses de la Unidad del Trevenque (Alpujárrides centrales) se han encontrado asociaciones minerales que comprenden Fe-Mg carfolita, cloritoide, clorita, distena y aragonito. Estas asociaciones indican un episodio metamórfico de alta presión-baja temperatura. La presencia de carfolita y aragonito permiten estimar la presión mínima alcanzada y la sustitución Fe-Mg en la asociación cloritoide-carfo/ita puede ser utilizada como indicador térmico durante la fase prograda de la evolución metamórfica. Asimismo, la asociación distena Mg-carfo/ita señala el límite de estabilidad de la carfolita ante incrementos de temperatura. Las condiciones P-T para estas rocas han sido estimadas en 400-4500 C y 70 Kb como presión mínima. Según estos valores, la presión alcanzada en ciertas unidades alpujárrides a causa de/ metamorfismo alpino es comparable a la ya conocida para los Nevado-Filabride