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Migmatites pp 204–224Cite as

Migmatite occurrences in New England

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Abstract

The high-grade metamorphic belts of the northern Appalachians in New England comprise one of the classic migmatite terrains of the world. Migmatites occur within the highest-grade metamorphic zones in roughly linearnorth-south belts running from Long Island Sound to near the Canadian border—a distance of about 500 km (Figure 6.1). These linear high-grade belts have been interpreted to be related to a succession of convergent tectonic events throughout the Palaeozoic (Robinson, 1983; Hall and Robinson, 1982). Ages of metamorphism and migmatization generally decrease from west to east. The westernmost belt of upper amphibolite-lower granulite facies metamorphism occurs in Proterozoic Y rocks exposed in the Green Mountains-Berkshires-Housatonic Highlands-Hudson Highlands massifs; highest-grade metamorphism of these rocks is generally considered to be of Grenville age (approximately 1100 Ma) although they may be overprinted by later, lower-grade metamorphism (Robinson, 1983).

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Tracy, R.J. (1985). Migmatite occurrences in New England. In: Ashworth, J.R. (eds) Migmatites. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2347-1_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2347-1_6

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