Fassmer, Kathrin ORCID: 0000-0002-4598-7457, Obermueller, Gerrit, Nagel, Thorsten J., Kirst, Frederik, Froitzheim, Nikolaus, Sandmann, Sascha, Miladinova, Irena ORCID: 0000-0002-2808-0378, Fonseca, Raul O. C. ORCID: 0000-0002-0897-4884 and Muenker, Carsten (2016). High-pressure metamorphic age and significance of eclogite-facies continental fragments associated with oceanic lithosphere in the Western Alps (Etirol-Levaz Slice, Valtournenche, Italy). Lithos, 252. S. 145 - 160. AMSTERDAM: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. ISSN 1872-6143

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Abstract

The Etirol-Levaz Slice in the Penninic Alps (Valtournenche, Italy) is a piece of eclogite-facies continental basement sandwiched between two oceanic units, the blueschist-facies Combin Zone in the hanging wall and the eclogite-facies Zermatt-Saar Zone in the footwall. It has been interpreted as an extensional allochthon from the continental margin of Adria, emplaced onto ultramafic and mafic basement of the future Zermatt-Saar Zone by Jurassic, rifting-related detachment faulting, and later subducted together with the future Zermatt-Saas Zone. Alternatively, the Etirol-Levaz Slice could be derived from a different paleogeographic domain and be separated from the Zermatt-Saas Zone by an Alpine shear zone. We present Lu-Hf whole rock-garnet ages of two eclogite samples, one from the center of the unit and one from the border to the Zermatt-Saas Zone below. These data are accompanied by a new geological map of the Etirol-Levaz Slice and the surrounding area, as well as detailed petrology of these two samples. Assemblages, mineral compositions and garnet zoning in both samples indicate a clockwise PT-path and peak-metamorphic conditions of about 550-600 degrees C/20-25 kbar, similar to conditions proposed for the underlying Zermatt-Saas Zone. Prograde garnet ages of the two samples are 61.8 +/- 1.8 Ma and 52.4 +/- 2.1 Ma and reflect different timing of subduction. One of these is significantly older than published ages of eclogite-facies metamorphism in the Zermatt-Saar Zone and thus contradicts the hypothesis of Mesozoic emplacement. The occurrence of serpentinite and metagabbro bodies possibly derived from the Zermatt-Saas Zone inside the Etirol-Levaz Slice suggests that the latter is a tectonic composite. The basement slivers forming the Etirol-Levaz Slice and other continental fragments were subducted earlier than the Zermatt-Saar Zone, but nonetheless experienced similar pressure-temperature histories. Our results support the hypothesis that the Zermatt-Saas Zone and the overlying continental slivers do not represent a coherent paleogeographic unit but rather formed by successive, in sequence subduction and accretion of different fragments. (c) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Item Type: Journal Article
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCIDORCID Put Code
Fassmer, KathrinUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-4598-7457UNSPECIFIED
Obermueller, GerritUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Nagel, Thorsten J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Kirst, FrederikUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Froitzheim, NikolausUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Sandmann, SaschaUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Miladinova, IrenaUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-2808-0378UNSPECIFIED
Fonseca, Raul O. C.UNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-0897-4884UNSPECIFIED
Muenker, CarstenUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-277092
DOI: 10.1016/j.lithos.2016.02.019
Journal or Publication Title: Lithos
Volume: 252
Page Range: S. 145 - 160
Date: 2016
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
Place of Publication: AMSTERDAM
ISSN: 1872-6143
Language: English
Faculty: Unspecified
Divisions: Unspecified
Subjects: no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:
KeywordsLanguage
ZERMATT-SAAS OPHIOLITE; SESIA-LANZO ZONE; LAGO-DI-CIGNANA; LU-HF GARNET; BLANCHE TECTONIC SYSTEM; RAPID EXHUMATION; TAUERN WINDOW; SM-ND; PROGRADE METAMORPHISM; SCHISTES LUSTRESMultiple languages
Geochemistry & Geophysics; MineralogyMultiple languages
Refereed: Yes
URI: http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/27709

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