Peralkaline and alkaline magmatism of the Ossa-Morena zone (SW Iberia): Age, source, and implications for the Paleozoic evolution of Gondwanan lithosphere

The Ossa-Morena zone in SW Iberia represents a section of the northern margin of West Gondwana that formed part of a Cordilleran-type orogenic system during the Neoproterozoic (Cadomian orogeny). The crustal section in this zone preserves the record of rifting that led to the opening of the Rheic Ocean in the early Paleozoic and the collision of Gondwana and Laurussia in the late Paleozoic (Variscan orogeny). We present U-Pb zircon data from three alkaline to peralkaline syenites that intruded Neoproterozoic and Cambrian strata and give crystallization ages ranging between ca. 490 Ma and 470 Ma. Lu/Hf isotopic data from these zircons give positive initial εHf values (0 ≤ εHf(t) ≤ +11.5) that approach the model values for the depleted mantle at the time of crystallization. This suggests that a significant proportion of the magma was derived from the mantle, with limited mixing/assimilation with crustal-derived melts. Alkaline/peralkaline magmatic suites of similar age and chemical composition intruded other sections of the northern margin of West Gondwana and along the boundaries of the continental blocks that today make up Iberia. These blocks are further characterized by the presence of high-pressure metamorphic belts that formed during accretion and subsequent collision of peri-Gondwanan domains against Laurussia during the Devonian and Carboniferous (Variscan orogeny). Our U-Pb and Lu-Hf data set indicates that during the Cambrian−Ordovician transition, lithosphere extension reached a stage of narrow intracontinental rifting, where deeply sourced magmas, probably coming from the lower crust and/or the upper mantle, intruded continental upper crust across various sections of previously stretched crust. We propose that necking of the Gondwana lithosphere into several continental microblocks with fertile mantle beneath them compartmentalized extension (multiblock model), which favored the onset of early Paleozoic peralkaline and alkaline magmas. The boundaries of microblocks represent zones of inherited crustal weakness that were later reactivated during the late Paleozoic as major accretionary faults related to the amalgamation of Pangea during the Variscan orogeny. Our dynamic model provides an explanation for the unusual spatial relationship between peralkaline and alkaline igneous provinces (usually shallow in the crust) and the occurrence of high-pressure rocks. Our observations suggest that Cordilleran-type orogens subjected to extension after long-lived subduction can develop wide continental platforms that feature multiple continental blocks. In addition, the formation of sequenced high-pressure belts in collisional orogens can be explained as the ultimate consequence of multiple necking events within continental lithosphere during previous collapse of a Cordilleran-type orogen

The Ibor Thrust: a quaternary fault 20 km from the Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant

Se describe un cabalgamiento cuaternario, que corta a una brecha sedimentaria que recubre la terraza de +5 m del río Ibor, en el extremo occidental de los Montes de Toledo. El sistema de cabalgamientos descrito ha condicionado la localización de abanicos aluviales fini-neógenos (“raña”), por lo que ha de considerarse como activo durante los últimos 9 Ma. El sismo asociado, superficial, se estima de una magnitud entre M 6-6.5. La rotura se localiza a menos de 20 km de la Central Nuclear de Almaraz (Cáceres)A Quaternary overthrust is described, intersecting a sedimentary breccia covering the +5 m terrace of the Ibor River, at the western end of the Montes de Toledo. The resulting thrusting system has conditioned the location of fini-neogene alluvial fans ("raña"), so it has to be considered as active during the last 9 Ma. The associated, superficial earthquake is estimated to range between M 6-6.5 in magnitude. The rupture is located less than 20 km from the Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant (Cáceres

Large-scale flat-lying isoclinal folding in extending lithosphere: Santa María de la Alameda dome (Central Iberian Massif, Spain)

The exhumation mechanisms of deep-seated continental crust can be constrained by analyzing the structural and metamorphic imprints left in lithological ensembles. The Santa María de la Alameda dome formed during the collision of Gondwana and Laurussia in late Paleozoic time and is located in the Central Iberian Zone of the Iberian Massif (Spain). Rocks of the dome are part of the autochthonous Gondwanan sections of the Variscan belt, and they occur in the Variscan hinterland. The lithostratigraphy of the dome consists of metasedimentary rocks alternating with orthogneiss massifs showing irregular and sinuous structure. The metamorphic record indicates peak pressures indicative of lower-crust depths followed by isothermal decompression to middle-upper-crust levels. Exhumation resulted in the exposure of different crustal levels (represented by subsolidus vs. supersolidus mineral assemblages). The exhumation was accompanied by initial layer-parallel stretching and subsequent large-scale isoclinal folding developed in a heterogeneous, flat-lying shear zone with top-to-the-SE kinematics. SE-directed shearing and lateral extensional flow occurred in response to thermomechanical disequilibrium of previously thickened orogenic crust, probably assisted by coeval accretion of tectonic slices and lithospheric bending about a vertical axis. Positive feedback among partial melting, exhumation, and crustal attenuation resulted in the formation of a NE-SW–trending, migmatite-cored dome, and in refolding of early isoclinal folds and an associated axial surface regional foliation. The dome formed beneath a set of extensional detachments and was reshaped by WNW-ESE upright folds during later convergent deformation. The latter event brought in further instabilities throughout the belt, triggering in this region the development of a late extensional detachment under low-grade metamorphic conditions (top-to-the-S kinematics). The development of a regional train of flat-lying isoclinal folds is presented here as the macrostructural expression of the combination of vertical and lateral extensional flow, both of which are particularly common in orogens worldwide

Influence of liquid-to-biogas ratio and alkalinity on the biogas upgrading performance in a demo scale algal-bacterial photobioreactor

The influence of the liquid-to-biogas ratio (L/G) and alkalinity on methane quality was evaluated in a 11.7 m3 outdoors horizontal semi-closed tubular photobioreactor interconnected to a 45-L absorption column (AC). CO2 concentrations in the upgraded methane ranged from <0.1 to 9.6% at L/G of 2.0 and 0.5, respectively, with maximum CH4 concentrations of 89.7% at a L/G of 1.0. Moreover, an enhanced CO2 removal (mediating a decrease in CO2 concentration from 9.6 to 1.2%) and therefore higher CH4 contents (increasing from 88.0 to 93.2%) were observed when increasing the alkalinity of the AC cultivation broth from 42 ± 1 mg L−1 to 996 ± 42 mg L−1. H2S was completely removed regardless of the L/G or the alkalinity in AC. The continuous operation of the photobioreactor with optimized operating parameters resulted in contents of CO2 (<0.1%–1.4%), H2S (<0.7 mg m−3) and CH4 (94.1%–98.8%) complying with international regulations for methane injection into natural gas grids.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Metagranites of the Basal Units of the allochthonous complexes of Galicia (NW Iberian Massif): Geochemical evolution and geodynamic setting

Las Unidades Basales de los complejos alóctonos de Galicia incluyen rocas metamórficas paraderivadas que alternan con abundantes rocas ortoderivadas con edades comprendidas entre 500 y 470 Ma. Por su composición, tanto mineralógica como química de roca total, las rocas ortoderivadas se dividen en dos grandes grupos: uno de gneises graníticos s.l. (tonalíticos, granodioríticos y graníticos), con una composición química que transita de tipos magnesianos-cálcicos meta-aluminosos, hasta tipos férricos calcoalcalinos y alcalino-cálcicos peralumínicos; y otro segundo grupo de gneises alcalinos y peralcalinos con una composición férrico alcalina que varía de términos peralcalinos a meta-aluminosos, llegando a tener un carácter per-alumínico los tipos más diferenciados. Los gneises graníticos s.l. presentan anomalías negativas en Nb y Ta, sugiriendo su relación con un margen continental activo, mientras que las rocas alcalinas y peralcalinas están enriquecidas en elementos traza incompatibles y presentan altos contenidos en Th, Ga y Nb, característicos de magmas asociados a un régimen extensional. Esta evolución geoquímica probablemente refleja el tránsito desde un régimen geodinámico convergente caracterizado por un sistema de arcos magmáticos hacia un rifting intracontinental.The Basal Units of the allochthonous complexes of Galicia include para-derived metamorphic rocks alternating with abundant ortho-derived rocks with protolith ages ranging between 500 and 470 Ma. According to their whole-rock chemical and mineralogical composition, the ortho-derived rocks are divided in two major groups: one consisting of granitic gneisses s.l. (tonalitic, granodioritic, and granitic) with a chemical composition ranging from magnesian calcic metaluminous types to ferroan calc-alkalic and alkali-calcic peraluminous types, and a second group including alkaline and peralkaline terms, with ferroan alkalic and peralkaline to metaluminous composition, some of the most differentiated terms reaching also a peraluminous composition. The granitic gneisses s.l. show negative Nb and Ta anomalies, typical for rocks formed in an active margin, whereas the alkaline and peralkaline rocks are rich in incompatible trace elements and show a high content of Th, Ga and Nb, as expected for crustal extension-related magmas. This geochemical evolution probably reflects the switch from a convergent geodynamic setting featured by magmatic arcs to an intracontinental rifting.Depto. de Mineralogía y PetrologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO)pu

Los metagranitos de las Unidades Basales de los complejos alóctonos de Galicia (NO del Macizo Ibérico): Evolución geoquímica y contexto geodinámico

Las Unidades Basales de los complejos alóctonos de Galicia incluyen rocas metamórficas paraderivadas que alternan con abundantes rocas ortoderivadas con edades comprendidas entre 500 y 470 Ma. Por su composición, tanto mineralógica como química de roca total, las rocas ortoderivadas se dividen en dos grandes grupos: uno de gneises graníticos s.l. (tonalíticos, granodioríticos y graníticos), con una composición química que transita de tipos magnesianos-cálcicos meta-aluminosos, hasta tipos férricos calcoalcalinos y alcalino-cálcicos peralumínicos; y otro segundo grupo de gneises alcalinos y peralcalinos con una composición férrico alcalina que varía de términos peralcalinos a meta-aluminosos, llegando a tener un carácter per-alumínico los tipos más diferenciados. Los gneises graníticos s.l. presentan anomalías negativas en Nb y Ta, sugiriendo su relación con un margen continental activo, mientras que las rocas alcalinas y peralcalinas están enriquecidas en elementos traza incompatibles y presentan altos contenidos en Th, Ga y Nb, característicos de magmas asociados a un régimen extensional. Esta evolución geoquímica probablemente refleja el tránsito desde un régimen geodinámico convergente caracterizado por un sistema de arcos magmáticos hacia un rifting intracontinental