Abstract
Dating specific pressure–temperature–time–deformation–fluid (P–T–t–d–f) events is a major petrological issue, particularly for polymetamorphic assemblages. In order to better assess such events using mica populations, this study uses a combined in situ Rb–Sr and Ar–Ar dating approach coupled with chemical mapping, with application to an exhumed subduction complex (Schistes Lustrés, Western Alps). Geochronological investigation of the most Si-rich (Tschermak substitution) mica population allows us to investigate the (near-)peak burial ages of the various tectonometamorphic units of this high-pressure/low-temperature subduction complex. In the blueschist-facies units, a wide range of ages between ∼36 (younger than previously obtained peak ages) and ~ 52 Ma suggests a diachronous slicing of units with different initial paleogeography and/or a long residence time at near-peak conditions. The combined use of Ar–Ar and Rb–Sr isochron ages reveals the existence of some excess argon in the studied metamorphic rocks, interpreted as the result of (i) heterogeneous contamination from an argon-rich fluid in the higher grade eclogite-facies units and (ii) partial removal, during pseudomorphic recrystallization, of argon inherited from earlier stages of metamorphism in the lower grade blueschist-facies units.
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Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available in this article, further information are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
This study was partly funded by the project “Zooming in between plates” (Marie Curie International Training Network no. 604713) to P. Agard and by the ANR EGEO Project, from the European Research Council (ERC) under the seventh Framework Programme of the European Union (ERC Advanced Grant, grant agreement No 290864, RHEOLITH). We thank A. Gerdes, J. Noël, B. Caron, E. Delairis, O. Boudouma, M. Fialin and N. Rividi for technical and analytical support. M. Bonno is thanked for his assistance during 40Ar/39Ar analyses. We thank the two anonymous reviewers of this manuscript for their comments, D. Rubatto for her comments and editorial handling and D. Canil for editorial handling.
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European Research Council, 290864, Laurent Jolivet, Marie Curie International Training Network, 604713, Philippe Agard.
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Gyomlai, T., Agard, P., Herviou, C. et al. In situ Rb–Sr and 40Ar–39Ar dating of distinct mica generations in the exhumed subduction complex of the Western Alps. Contrib Mineral Petrol 178, 58 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-023-02042-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-023-02042-8