The P–T–t evolution of the exhumed Himalayan metamorphic core in the Likhu Khola region, East Central Nepal

Two phengite–garnet‐bearing metapelites from the Nevado‐Filábride Complex, Betic Cordillera, one from the Ragua unit (sample 23085) and the other (sample 23098) from the Calar Alto unit, were studied in detail to elucidate their metamorphic evolution. We calculated various P–T pseudosections for different O2 and H2O‐CO2 contents and Fe3+/Fe2+ ratios with PERPLE_X . On the basis of the compositions of the garnet core and the highest Si content in potassic white mica, different peak pressures of 12.7 ± 0.7 kbar at 525 ± 10°C (23085) and 17.4 ± 1.2 kbar at 526 ± 17°C (23098) resulted (errors refer to an estimated 1σ range). The suggested clockwise P–T loop was followed in both cases by another loop caused by a reheating process. On the basis of garnet rim compositions, peak temperatures of 596 ± 10°C at 10.7 ± 1.4 kbar (23085) and 629 ± 11°C at 8.5 ± 0.7 kbar (23098) resulted, supported by Zr‐in‐rutile thermometry (23085: 591 ± 11°C; 23098: 607 ± 10°C). In situ dating of monazite (23085) with the electron microprobe yielded ages between c. 48 and 14 Ma. On the basis of the monazite composition and histogram analysis, two age populations with mean ages of 40.2 ± 1.7 (1σ) and 24.1 ± 0.8 Ma could be defined. Low Y2O3 contents (<0.6 wt%) in monazite point to its formation after initial growth of garnet. The older generation was therefore assigned to the formation of the garnet core and the early P–T loop. The younger monazite population was related to the late P–T loop. A geodynamic scenario is hypothesized that assigns the Eocene metamorphism to subduction of a continental margin to depths of 50–65 km, followed by exhumation in an exhumation channel accompanied by mixing of slices of different rock types including mantle rocks. This process ended with stacking of such slices causing reheating of the studied rocks in the Early Miocene. The noted time gap of c. 15 Ma between subduction and nappe stacking is similar to the continent–continent collisional orogeny of the Himalaya.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two Tertiary metamorphic events recognized in high‐pressure metapelites of the Nevado‐Filábride Complex (Betic Cordillera, S Spain)

Massonne

2018

“…This issue was circumvented by reintegrating a certain amount of melt to the residuum composition and by performing phase equilibria modelling of the new model protolith composition to reconstruct the probable prograde history (see White, Powell, & Halpin, ). The melt‐reintegration approach has become an increasingly routine method among metamorphic petrologists and various ways of calculating and reintegrating the extracted melt have been developed and applied (Anderson, Kelsey, Hand, & Collins, ; Boger, White, & Schulte, ; Cai et al., , ; Chen, Ye, Liu, & Sun, ; Diener, White, & Hudson, ; Diener, White, Link, Dreyer, & Moodley, ; Diener, White, & Powell, ; Dumond, Goncalves, Williams, & Jercinovic, ; Fitzherbert, ; Groppo, Rolfo, & Indares, ; Groppo, Rolfo, & Mosca, ; Groppo, Rubatto, Rolfo, & Lombardo, ; Guilmette, Indares, & Hébert, ; Hallett & Spear, ; Hasalová et al., ; Jiang et al., ; Kelsey & Hand, ; Kohn, ; Korhonen, Brown, Clark, & Bhattacharya, ; Indares, White, & Powell, ; Lasalle & Indares, ; McGee, Giles, Kelsey, & Collins, ; Morrissey, Hand, Kelsey, & Wade, ; Nahodilová, Faryad, Dolejš, Tropper, & Konzett, ; Nicoli, Stevens, Moyen, & Frei, ; Palin et al., ; Redler, White, & Johnson, ; Shrestha, Larson, Guilmette, & Smit, ; Skrzypek, Štípská, & Cocherie, ; Štípská, Schulmann, & Powell, ; Taylor, Nicoli, Stevens, Frei, & Moyen, ; Tian, Zhang, & Dong, ; Tucker, Hand, Kelsey, & Dutch, ; Wang & Guo, ; White et al., ; Yakymchuk et al., ; Yin et al., ; Zhang et al., ; Zou et al., ). Furthermore, the reconstruction of a plausible protolith composition is essential to assess the likely melt productivity of rocks (White et al., ) which, in turn, allows the potential role of loss and redistribution of melt in the evolution of the deeper crust to be explored (Diener & Fagereng, ; Diener et al., ; Korhonen, Saito, Brown, & Siddoway, ; Korhonen et al.,…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This issue was circumvented by reintegrating a certain amount of melt to the residuum composition and by performing phase equilibria modelling of the new model protolith composition to reconstruct the probable prograde history (see White, Powell, & Halpin, 2004). The melt-reintegration approach has become an increasingly routine method among metamorphic petrologists and various ways of calculating and reintegrating the extracted melt have been developed and applied (Anderson, Kelsey, Hand, & Collins, 2013;Boger, White, & Schulte, 2012;Cai et al, 2014Cai et al, , 2016Chen, Ye, Liu, & Sun, 2008;Diener, White, & Hudson, 2014;Diener, White, Link, Dreyer, & Moodley, 2013;Diener, White, & Powell, 2008;Dumond, Goncalves, Williams, & Jercinovic, 2015;Fitzherbert, 2015;Groppo, Rolfo, & Indares, 2012;Groppo, Rolfo, & Mosca, 2013;Groppo, Rubatto, Rolfo, & Lombardo, 2010;Guilmette, Indares, & H ebert, 2011;Hallett & Spear, 2014;Hasalov a et al, 2008;Jiang et al, 2015;Kelsey & Hand, 2014;Kohn, 2014;Korhonen, Brown, Clark, & Bhattacharya, 2013;Indares, White, & Powell, 2008;Lasalle & Indares, 2014;McGee, Giles, Kelsey, & Collins, 2010;Morrissey, Hand, Kelsey, & Wade, 2016;Nahodilov a, Faryad, Dolej s, Tropper, & Konzett, 2011;Nicoli, Stevens, Moyen, & Frei, 2015;Palin et al, 2013;Redler, White, & Johnson, 2013;Shrestha, Larson, Guilmette, & Smit, 2017;Skrzypek, St ıpsk a, & Cocherie, 2012; St ıpsk a, Schulmann,…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Phase equilibria modelling of residual migmatites and granulites: An evaluation of the melt‐reintegration approach

Bartoli

2017

Suprasolidus continental crust is prone to loss and redistribution of anatectic melt to shallow crustal levels. These processes ultimately lead to differentiation of the continental crust. The majority of granulite facies rocks worldwide has experienced melt loss and the reintegration of melt is becoming an increasingly popular approach to reconstruct the prograde history of melt‐depleted rocks by means of phase equilibria modelling. It involves the stepwise down‐temperature reintegration of a certain amount of melt into the residual bulk composition along an inferred P–T path, and various ways of calculating and reintegrating melt compositions have been developed and applied. Here different melt‐reintegration approaches are tested using El Hoyazo granulitic enclaves (SE Spain), and Mt. Stafford residual migmatites (central Australia). Various sets of P–T pseudosections were constructed progressing step by step, to lower temperatures along the inferred P–T paths. Melt‐reintegration was done following one‐step and multi‐step procedures proposed in the literature. For El Hoyazo granulites, modelling was also performed reintegrating the measured melt inclusions and matrix glass compositions and considering the melt amounts inferred by mass–balance calculations. The overall topology of phase diagrams is pretty similar, suggesting that, in spite of the different methods adopted, reintegrating a certain amount of melt can be sufficient to reconstruct a plausible prograde history (i.e. melting conditions and reactions, and melt productivity) of residual migmatites and granulites. However, significant underestimations of melt productivity may occur and have to be taken into account when a melt‐reintegration approach is applied to highly residual (SiO2 <55 wt%) rocks, or to rocks for which H2O retention from subsolidus conditions is high (such as in the case of rapid crustal melting triggered by mafic magma underplating).

“…Trace element analysis was performed in situ on garnet in the FiLTER facility by laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) using a ThermoFisher Element XR ICP‐MS coupled with a Photon Machines Analyte 193 excimer laser. Analyses were carried out using a 10 Hz laser repetition rate and 29.4 μm beam diameter for garnet following the procedure outlined in Shrestha, Larson, Guilmette, and Smit (). For garnet, Si concentrations as measured by EPMA were used for internal normalization, employing 29 Si as monitor mass.…”

Section: Specimen Strategy and Analytical Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have used textural relationships between garnet and monazite in natural samples to derive partitioning coefficients for REE between the phases (see equilibrium partitioning zone in Figure ; for example, Buick, Hermann, Williams, Gibson, & Rubatto, ; Hermann & Rubatto, ; Rubatto, Hermann, & Buick, ; Shrestha et al., ). Recent work, however, has identified potential discrepancies between the derived empirical relationship and their results, demonstrating that caution should be taken when relying on the published partitioning coefficients (Larson et al., ; Warren et al., ).…”

Section: Monazite Petrochronologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesozoic to Cenozoic tectono‐metamorphic history of the South Pamir–Hindu Kush (Chitral, NW Pakistan): Insights from phase equilibria modelling, and garnet–monazite petrochronology

Soret

Larson

Cottle

et al. 2019

Self Cite

The Karakoram–Hindu Kush–Pamir and adjacent Tibetan plateau belt comprise a series of Gondwana‐derived crustal fragments that successively accreted to the Eurasian margin in the Mesozoic as the result of the progressive Tethys ocean closure. These domains provide unique insights into the thermal and structural history of the Mesozoic to Cenozoic Eurasian plate margin, which are critical to inform the initial boundary conditions (e.g. crustal thickness, structure and thermo‐mechanical properties) for the subsequent development of the large and hot Tibetan–Himalaya orogen, and the associated crustal deformation processes. Using a combination of microstructural analyses, thermobarometry modelling and U–Th–Pb monazite and Lu–Hf garnet geochronology, the study reappraises the metamorphic history of exposed mid‐crustal metapelites in the Chitral region of the South Pamir–Hindu Kush (NW Pakistan). This study also demonstrates that trace elements in monazite (especially Y and Dy), combined with thermodynamical modelling and Lu–Hf garnet dating, provides a powerful integrated toolbox for constraining long‐lived and polyphased tectono‐metamorphic histories in all their spatial and temporal complexity. Rocks from the Chitral region were progressively deformed and metamorphosed at sub‐ and supra‐solidus conditions through at least four distinct episodes from the Mesozoic to the Cenozoic. Rocks were first metamorphosed at ~400–500°C and ~0.3 GPa in the Late Triassic–Early Jurassic (210–185 Ma), likely in response to the accretion of the Karakoram during the Cimmerian orogeny. Pressure and temperature subsequently increased by ~0.3 GPa and 100°C in the Early‐ to Mid Cretaceous (140–80 Ma), coinciding with the intrusion of calcalkaline granitic plutons across the Karakoram and Pamir regions. This event is interpreted as the record of crustal thickening and the development of a proto‐plateau within the Eurasian margin due to a long‐lived episode of slab flattening in an Andean‐type margin. Peak metamorphism was reached in the Late Eocene–Early Oligocene (40–30 Ma) at conditions of 580–600°C and ~0.6 GPa and 700–750°C and 0.7–0.8 GPa for the investigated staurolite schists and sillimanite migmatites respectively. This crustal heating up to moderate anatexis likely resulted in the underthrusting of the Indian plate after a NeoTethyan slab‐break off or to the Tethyan Himalaya–Lhasa microcontinent collision and subsequent oceanic slab flattening. Near‐isothermal decompression/exhumation followed in the Late Oligocene (28–23 Ma) as marked by a pressure decrease in excess of ~0.1 GPa. This event was coeval with the intrusion of the 24 Ma Garam Chasma leucogranite. This rapid exhumation is interpreted to be related to the reactivation of the South Pamir–Karakoram suture zone during the ongoing collision with India. The findings of this study confirm that significant crustal shortening and thickening of the south Eurasian margin occurred during the Mesozoic in an accretionary‐type tectonic setting through successive episodes of...