Tectonic significance of changes in post-subduction Pliocene-Quaternary magmatism in the south east part of the Carpathian-Pannonian Region

The south-eastern part of the Carpathian–Pannonian region records the cessation of convergence between the European platform/Moesia and the Tisza–Dacia microplate. Plio-Quaternary magmatic activity in this area, in close proximity to the ‘Vrancea zone’, shows a shift from normal calc-alkaline to much more diverse compositions (adakite-like calc-alkaline, K-alkalic, mafic Na-alkalic and ultrapotassic), suggesting a significant change in geodynamic processes at approximately 3 Ma. We review the tectonic setting, timing, petrology and geochemistry of the post-collisional volcanism to constrain the role of orogenic building processes such as subduction or collision on melt production and migration. The calc-alkaline volcanism (5.3–3.9 Ma) marks the end of normal subduction-related magmatism along the post-collisional Călimani–Gurghiu–Harghita volcanic chain in front of the European convergent plate margin. At ca. 3 Ma in South Harghita magma compositions changed to adakite-like calc-alkaline and continued until recent times (< 0.03 Ma) interrupted at 1.6–1.2 Ma by generation of Na and K-alkalic magmas, signifying changes in the source and melting mechanism. We attribute the changes in magma composition in front of the Moesian platform to two main geodynamic events: (1) slab-pull and steepening with opening of a tear window (adakite-like calc-alkaline magmas) and (2) renewed contraction associated with deep mantle processes such as slab steepening during post-collisional times (Na and K-alkalic magmas). Contemporaneous post-collisional volcanism at the eastern edge of the Pannonian Basin at 2.6–1.3 Ma was dominated by Na-alkalic and ultrapotassic magmas, suggesting a close relationship with thermal asthenospheric doming and strain partitioning related to the Adriatic indentation. Similar timing, magma chamber processes and volume for K-alkalic (shoshonitic) magmas in the South Apuseni Mountains (1.6 Ma) and South Harghita area at a distance of ca. 200 km imply a regional connection with the inversion tectonics

Geochemistry and tectonic development of Cenozoic magmatism in the Carpathian–Pannonian region

This review considers the magmatic processes in the Carpathian–Pannonian Region (CPR) from Early Miocene to Recent times, as well as the contemporaneous magmatism at its southern boundary in the Dinaride and Balkans regions. This geodynamic system was controlled by the Cretaceous to Neogene subduction and collision of Africa with Eurasia, especially by Adria that generated the Alps to the north, the Dinaride–Hellenide belt to the east and caused extrusion, collision and inversion tectonics in the CPR. This long-lived subduction system supplied the mantle lithosphere with various subduction components. The CPR contains magmatic rocks of highly diverse compositions (calc-alkaline, K-alkalic, ultrapotassic and Na-alkalic), all generated in response to complex post-collisional tectonic processes. These processes formed extensional basins in response to an interplay of compression and extension within two microplates: ALCAPA and Tisza–Dacia. Competition between the different tectonic processes at both local and regional scales caused variations in the associated magmatism, mainly as a result of extension and differences in the rheological properties and composition of the lithosphere. Extension led to disintegration of the microplates that finally developed into two basin systems: the Pannonian and Transylvanian basins. The southern border of the CPR is edged by the Adria microplate via Sava and Vardar zones that acted as regional transcurrent tectonic areas during Miocene–Recent times. Major, trace element and isotopic data of post-Early Miocene magmatic rocks from the CPR suggest that subduction components were preserved in the lithospheric mantle after the Cretaceous–Miocene subduction and were reactivated especially by extensional tectonic processes that allowed uprise of the asthenosphere. Changes in the composition of the mantle through time support geodynamic scenarios of post-collision and extension processes linked to the evolution of the main blocks and their boundary relations. Weak lithospheric blocks (i.e. ALCAPA and western Tisza) generated the Pannonian basin and the adjacent Styrian, Transdanubian and Zărand basins which show high rates of vertical movement accompanied by a range of magmatic compositions. Strong lithospheric blocks (i.e. Dacia) were only marginally deformed, where strike–slip faulting was associated with magmatism and extension. At the boundary of Adria and Tisza–Dacia strike–slip tectonics and core complex extension were associated with small volume Miocene magmatism in narrow extensional sedimentary basins or granitoids in core-complex detachment systems along older suture zones (Sava and Vardar) accommodating the extension in the Pannonian basin and afterward Pliocene–Quaternary inversion. Magmas of various compositions appear to have acted as lubricants in a range of tectonic processes

Origin of basaltic magmas of Perşani volcanic field, Romania: A combined whole 6 rock and mineral scale investigation

The Perşani volcanic field is a low-volume flux monogenetic volcanic field in the Carpathian–Pannonian region, 24 eastern-central Europe. Volcanic activity occurred intermittently from1200 ka to 600 ka, forming lava flow fields, 25 scoria cones andmaars. Selected basalts fromthe initial and younger active phaseswere investigated for major and 26 trace element contents and mineral compositions. Bulk compositions are close to those of the primitive magmas; 27 only 5–12% olivine and minor spinel fractionation occurred at 1300–1350 °C, followed by clinopyroxenes at about 28 1250 °C and 0.8–1.2 GPa. Melt generation occurred in the depth range from 85–90 km to 60 km. The estimated 29 mantle potential temperature, 1350–1420 °C, is the lowest in the Pannonian Basin. It suggests that no thermal 30 anomaly exists in the uppermantle beneath the Perşani area and that themaficmagmas were formed by decom- 31 pressionmelting under relatively thin continental lithosphere. Themantle source of themagmas could be slightly 32 heterogeneous, but is dominantly variously depleted MORB-source peridotite, as suggested by the olivine and 33 spinel composition. Based on the Cr-numbers of the spinels, two coherent compositional groups (0.38–0.45 and 34 0.23–0.32, respectively) can be distinguished that correspond to the older and younger volcanic products. This in- 35 dicates a change in themantle source region during the volcanic activity as also inferred from the bulk rockmajor 36 and trace element data. The younger basaltic magmas were generated by lower degree of melting, from a deeper 37 and compositionally slightly different mantle source compared to the older ones. The mantle source character of 38 the Perşanimagmas is akin to that ofmany other alkaline basalt volcanic fields in theMediterranean close to oro- 39 genic areas. The magma ascent rate is estimated based on compositional traverses across olivine xenocrysts using 40 variations of Ca content. Two heating events are recognized; the first one lasted about 1.3 years implying heating 41 of the lower lithosphere by the uprisingmagma,whereas the second one lasted only 4–5 days,whichcorresponds 42 to the time of magma ascent through the continental crust. The alkaline mafic volcanismin the Perşani volcanic 43 field could have occurred as a response to the formation of a narrow rupture in the lower lithosphere, possibly 44 as a far-field effect of the dripping of dense continental lithospheric material beneath the Vrancea zone. Upper 45 crustal extensional stress-field with reactivation of normal faults at the eastern margin of the Transylvanian 46 basin could enhance the rapid ascent of the mafic magmas

Is Evolution of Blind Mole Rats Determined by Climate Oscillations?

The concept of climate variability facilitating adaptive radiation supported by the ‘‘Court Jester’’ hypothesis is disputed by the ‘‘Red Queen’’ one, but the prevalence of one or the other might be scale-dependent. We report on a detailed, comprehensive phylo-geographic study on the ,4 kb mtDNA sequence in underground blind mole rats of the family Spalacidae (or subfamily Spalacinae) from the East Mediterranean steppes. Our study aimed at testing the presence of periodicities in branching patterns on a constructed phylogenetic tree and at searching for congruence between branching events, tectonic history and paleoclimates. In contrast to the strong support for the majority of the branching events on the tree, the absence of support in a few instances indicates that network-like evolution could exist in spalacids. In our tree, robust support was given, in concordance with paleontological data, for the separation of spalacids from muroid rodents during the first half of the Miocene when open, grass-dominated habitats were established. Marine barriers formed between Anatolia and the Balkans could have facilitated the separation of the lineage ‘‘Spalax’’ from the lineage ‘‘Nannospalax’’ and of the clade ‘‘leucodon’’ from the clade ‘‘xanthodon’’. The separation of the clade ‘‘ehrenbergi’’ occurred during the late stages of the tectonically induced uplift of the Anatolian high plateaus and mountains, whereas the separation of the clade ‘‘vasvarii’’ took place when the rapidly uplifting Taurus mountain range prevented the Mediterranean rainfalls from reaching the Central Anatolian Plateau. The separation of Spalax antiquus and S. graecus occurred when the southeastern Carpathians were uplifted. Despite the role played by tectonic events, branching events that show periodicity corresponding to 400-kyr and 100-kyr eccentricity bands illuminate the important role of orbital fluctuations on adaptive radiation in spalacids. At the given scale, our results supports the ‘‘Court Jester’’ hypothesis over the ‘‘Red Queen’’ one

Contrasting styles of (U)HP rock exhumation along the Cenozoic Adria-Europe plate boundary (Western Alps, Calabria, Corsica)

Since the first discovery of ultrahigh pressure (UHP) rocks 30 years ago in the Western Alps, the mechanisms for exhumation of (U)HP terranes worldwide are still debated. In the western Mediterranean, the presently accepted model of synconvergent exhumation (e.g., the channel-flow model) is in conflict with parts of the geologic record. We synthesize regional geologic data and present alternative exhumation mechanisms that consider the role of divergence within subduction zones. These mechanisms, i.e., (i) the motion of the upper plate away from the trench and (ii) the rollback of the lower plate, are discussed in detail with particular reference to the Cenozoic Adria-Europe plate boundary, and along three different transects (Western Alps, Calabria-Sardinia, and Corsica-Northern Apennines). In the Western Alps, (U)HP rocks were exhumed from the greatest depth at the rear of the accretionary wedge during motion of the upper plate away from the trench. Exhumation was extremely fast, and associated with very low geothermal gradients. In Calabria, HP rocks were exhumed from shallower depths and at lower rates during rollback of the Adriatic plate, with repeated exhumation pulses progressively younging toward the foreland. Both mechanisms were active to create boundary divergence along the Corsica-Northern Apennines transect, where European southeastward subduction was progressively replaced along strike by Adriatic northwestward subduction. The tectonic scenario depicted for the Western Alps trench during Eocene exhumation of (U)HP rocks correlates well with present-day eastern Papua New Guinea, which is presented as a modern analog of the Paleogene Adria-Europe plate boundary

Petrogenese d'un volcanisme intracontinental tardi-orogenique hercynien: etude d'un complexe volcanique carbonifere du Tazekka et de zones volcaniques comparables dans le Mekam et la region de Jerada (Maroc oriental)

SIGLEAvailable from INIST (FR), Document Supply Service, under shelf-number : T 77739 / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueFRFranc

An alternative model of plate tectonics

International audienc