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Protracted fluid-induced melting during Barrovian metamorphism in the Central Alps

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Abstract

The timing and dynamics of fluid-induced melting in the typical Barrovian sequence of the Central Alps has been investigated using zircon chronology and trace element composition. Multiple zircon domains in leucosomes and country rocks yield U–Pb ages spanning from ~32 to 22 Ma. The zircon formed during Alpine melting can be distinguished from the inherited and detrital cores on the basis of their age, Th/U (<0.1) and trace element composition. Ti-in-zircon thermometry indicates crystallization temperatures around 620–700°C. Their composition allows discriminating between (1) zircon formation in the presence of early garnet, (2) zircon in equilibrium with abundant L-MREE-rich accessory phases (allanite, titanite and apatite) typical of metatonalites, and (3) zircon formed during melting of metasediments in feldspar-dominated assemblages. The distribution of zircon overgrowths and ages indicate that repeated melting events occurred within a single Barrovian metamorphic cycle at roughly constant temperature; that in the country rocks zircon formation was limited to the initial stages of melting, whereas further melting concentrated in the segregated leucosomes; that melting occurred at different times in samples a few meters apart because of the local rock composition and localized influx of the fluids; and that leucosomes were repeatedly melted when fluids became available. The geochronological data force a revision of the temperature–time path of the migmatite belt in the Central Alps. Protracted melting over 10 My followed the fast exhumation of Alpine eclogites contained within the same region and preceded fast cooling in the order of 100°C/Ma to upper crustal levels.

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Acknowledgments

The Electron Microscopy Unit at the Australian National University is thanked for access to the SEM facilities. Courtney Gregory is thanked for assisting during field work and sharing valuable information on these samples. The careful and constructive reviews of Felix Oberli and Anthi Liati are acknowledged. This work was financially supported by the ARC (DP 0556700) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF 200020-109637).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia

    Daniela Rubatto & Jörg Hermann

  2. Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 1-3, 3012, Bern, Switzerland

    Alfons Berger & Martin Engi

  3. Institute for Geography and Geology, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Alfons Berger

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  1. Daniela Rubatto
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Rubatto, D., Hermann, J., Berger, A. et al. Protracted fluid-induced melting during Barrovian metamorphism in the Central Alps. Contrib Mineral Petrol 158, 703–722 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-009-0406-5

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