Central Pyrenees Mountain Building: Constraints From New LT Thermochronological Data From the Axial Zone

Waldner, Maxime; Bellahsen, Nicolas; Mouthereau, Frédéric; Bernet, Matthias; Pik, Raphaël; Rosenberg, Claudio; Balvay, Mélanie

doi:10.1029/2020tc006614

Cited by 24 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 109 publications

(391 reference statements)

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“…Overall, we infer that the thermochronological signature from the North Pyrenean massifs is indicative of the thermal evolution of the upper plate distal margin. This inference, based on our 2D thermally-coupled and dynamical modelling of low-temperature thermochronology data, is consistent with recently published pre-orogenic crustal architecture reconstructions for the Pyrenees (Mouthereau et al, 2014;Clerc et al, 2016;Ford et al, 2016;Teixell et al, 2016Teixell et al, , 2018Vacherat et al, 2016;Ternois et al, 2019a;Ford and Vergés, 2021;Waldner et al, 2021).…”

Section: Application To the Pyreneessupporting

confidence: 92%

“…A clear southward-younging thermochronological pattern has been emphasized, reflecting the prominent in-sequence tectonic growth of the Pyrenean orogen by accretion of Variscan basement units from the lower Iberian plate (e.g. Fitzgerald et al, 1999;Sinclair et al 2005;Mouthereau et al, 2014;Fillon et al, 2020;Waldner et al, 2021). In contrast, the short delay (5-15 Myrs) between the end of rifting with associated high-temperature metamorphism and the onset of convergence makes it difficult to recognise the thermal signature of early orogenesis and to constrain early orogenic deformation (Vacherat et al, 2016;Ternois et al, 2019aTernois et al, , 2019b.…”

Section: Application To the Pyreneesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Decoding low-temperature thermochronology signals in mountain belts: modelling the role of rift thermal imprint into continental collision

Ternois¹,

Mouthereau²,

Jourdon³

2021

BSGF - Earth Sci. Bull.

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Resolving the timing of initiation and propagation of continental accretion associated with increasing topography and exhumation is a genuinely challenging task using low-temperature thermochronology. We present an integrated thermo-mechanical and low-temperature thermochronology modelling study of tectonically-inverted hyper-extended rift systems. Model low-temperature thermochronology data sets for four widely used thermochronological systems are generated from fourteen locations across a model doubly-vergent orogen. Our approach allows prediction of specific, distinct low-temperature thermochronological signatures for each domain of the two rifted margins that, in turn, enable deciphering which parts of the margins are involved in orogenic wedge development. Our results show that a combination of zircon (U-Th)/He and apatite fission-track data allows diagnostic investigation of model orogen tectonics and offers the most valuable source of thermochronological information for the reconstruction of the crustal architecture of the model inverted rifted margins. Comparison of model data for inverted rifted margins with model data for non-inverted, purely thermally-relaxed rifted margins enables assessing the actual contribution of tectonic inversion with respect to thermal relaxation to cooling during convergence. Similarities between our modelling results and published low-temperature thermochronology data from the Pyrenees provide new insights into the evolution of Alpine-type, double-wedged orogenic systems from rifting to collision. In particular, they suggest that the Pyrenean Axial Zone mainly consists of the inverted lower plate necking and hyper-extended domains while the North Pyrenean Zone represents the inverted upper plate distal rifted margin. This is in good agreement with previous, independent reconstructions from literature, showing the power that our integrated study offers in identifying processes involved in orogenesis, especially early inversion, as well as reconstruction of pre-orogenic crustal architecture of hyper-extended rifted margins.

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Section: Application To the Pyreneessupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Application To the Pyreneesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decoding low-temperature thermochronology signals in mountain belts: modelling the role of rift thermal imprint into continental collision

Ternois¹,

Mouthereau²,

Jourdon³

2021

BSGF - Earth Sci. Bull.

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“…From this we infer that exhumation reached a climax between 44.5 and 26 Ma, which correspond to the time at which orogenic topography and crustal root developed. In this example model cooling histories are after (Bosch et al, 2016;Fillon et al, 2021;Gunnell et al, 2009;Vacherat et al, 2016;Waldner et al, 2021). Forest.…”

Section: Impact Of Rift Maturity On Topographic Evolution and Late Collision Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This timing inferred from modeled cooling histories is considered to reflect the period of main Cenozoic topographic growth. Cooling histories are after (Bosch et al, 2016;Fillon et al, 2021;Gunnell et al, 2009;Malusà et al, 2016;Olivetti et al, 2020;Rat et al, 2019;Río et al, 2009;Vacherat et al, 2016;Waldner et al, 2021). This timing inferred from modeled cooling histories is considered to reflect the period of main Cenozoic topographic growth.…”

Section: Impact Of Rift Maturity On Topographic Evolution and Late Collision Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…and 26 Ma, which correspond to the time at which orogenic topography and crustal root developed. In this example model cooling histories are after (Bosch et al, 2016;Fillon et al, 2021;Gunnell et al, 2009;Vacherat et al, 2016;Waldner et al, 2021). 116 Cooling histories used in our study are (Eynatten et al, 2019;Sobczyk et al, 2020;Timar-Geng et al, 2005).…”

Section: Impact Of Rift Maturity On Topographic Evolution and Late Collision Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cenozoic mountain building and topographic evolution in Western Europe: impact of billions of years of lithosphere evolution and plate kinematics

Mouthereau¹,

Angrand²,

Jourdon³

et al. 2021

BSGF - Earth Sci. Bull.

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The architecture and nature of the continental lithosphere result from billions of years of tectonic and magmatic evolution. Continental deformation over broad regions form collisional orogens which evolution is controlled by the interactions between properties inherited from hits long-lasting evolution and plate kinematics. The analysis of present-day kinematic patterns and geophysical imaging of lithosphere structure can provide clues on these interactions. However how these interactions are connected through time and space to control topographic evolution in collision zones is unknown. Here we explore the case of the Cenozoic mountain building and topographic evolution of Western Europe. We first review the tectono-magmatic evolution of the lithosphere of Europe based on the exploitation of geological, geochronological and geochemical constraints from ophiolites, mafic rocks and xenoliths data. Combined with the analyses of low-temperature thermochronological and plate kinematic constraints we discuss the key controlling parameters of the topography. We show that among the required ingredients is the primary effect of plume-, rift- and subduction-related metasomatic events on lithosphere composition. Those main events occurred during the Neoproterozoic (750-500 Ma) and the late Carboniferous-Permian (310-270 Ma). They resulted in the thinning and weakening of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle of Europe. Contrasting lithosphere strengths and plate-mantle coupling in Western Europe with respect to the cratonic lithosphere of West Africa Craton and Baltica is the first-order parameter that explain the observed strain and stress patterns. Subsequent magmatic and thinning episodes, including those evidenced by the opening of the early Jurassic Alpine Tethys and the CAMP event, followed by late Jurassic and early Cretaceous crustal thinning, prevented thermal relaxation of the lithosphere and allowed further weakening of the European lithosphere. The spatial and temporal evolution of topographic growth resolved by the episodes of increased exhumation show two main periods of mountain building. During the late Cretaceous-early Cenozoic (80-50 Ma) contractional deformation was distributed from North Africa to Europe, but the topographic response to the onset of Africa-Eurasia convergence is detected only in central Europe. The lack of rapid exhumation signal in southern Europe and north Africa reveal that the initial continental accretion in these regions was accommodated under water in domains characterized by thin continental or oceanic crust. The second phase of orogenic uplift period starts at about 50 Ma between the High Atlas and the Pyrenees. This second key period reflects the time delay required for the wider rift systems positioned between Africa and Europe to close, likely promoted by the acceleration of convergence. Tectonic regime then became extensional in northern Europe as West European Rift (WER) opened. This event heralds the opening of the Western Mediterranean between Adria and Iberia at ca. 35 Ma. While mature orogenic systems developed over Iberia at this time, the eastern domain around northern Adria (Alps) was still to be fully closed. This kinematic and mechanical conditions triggered the initiation of backarc extension, slab retreat and delamination in the absence of strong slab pull forces. From about 20 Ma, the high temperature in the shallow asthenosphere and magmatism trapped in the mantle lithosphere contributed to topographic uplift. The first period (80-20 Ma) reveals spatially variable onset of uplift in Europe that are arguably controlled by inherited crustal architecture, superimposed on the effect of large-scale lithospheric properties. The second period marks a profound dynamic change, as sub-lithospheric processes became the main drivers. The channelized mantle flow from beneath Morocco to Central Europe builds the most recent topography. In this study, we have resolved when, where and how inheritance at lithospheric and crustal levels rule mountain building processes. More studies focus on the tectonic-magmatic evolution of the continental lithosphere are needed. We argue that when they are combined with plate reconstructions and thermochronological constraints the relative impact of inheritance and plate convergence on the orogenic evolution can be resolved.

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Meso‐Cenozoic Kinematics of Western Europe Applied to the Pyrenean Domain

ANGRAND,

MOUTHEREAU

2024

Evolution of the Pyrenees During the Variscan and Alpine Cycles 1

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Central Pyrenees Mountain Building: Constraints From New LT Thermochronological Data From the Axial Zone

Cited by 24 publications

References 109 publications

Decoding low-temperature thermochronology signals in mountain belts: modelling the role of rift thermal imprint into continental collision

Decoding low-temperature thermochronology signals in mountain belts: modelling the role of rift thermal imprint into continental collision

Cenozoic mountain building and topographic evolution in Western Europe: impact of billions of years of lithosphere evolution and plate kinematics

Meso‐Cenozoic Kinematics of Western Europe Applied to the Pyrenean Domain

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