Crustal-mantle lithosphere decoupling as a control on Variscan metamorphism in the Eastern Alps

Author： Spiess R. Bertolo B. Borghi A. Tinor Centi M.

ISSN： 0812-0099

Source： Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, Vol.48, Iss.3, 2001-06, pp. : 479-486

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Abstract

Mica schists of the Variscan Austroalpine Ötztal basement (Eastern Alps) contain synkinematically grown garnet porphyroblasts showing three zones with complex inclusion trails. Staurolite, kyanite and sillimanite grew over the main schistosity that envelops the garnet porphyroblasts. The mineral‐forming reaction sequences modelled in the MnKFMASH and KFMASH systems show that garnet of zone 1 grew at approximately 1300 MPa, whereas zone 2 and zone 3 grew during substantial decompression and partial thermal relaxation. For the growth of staurolite, kyanite and sillimanite, this modelling shows that thermal relaxation continued after decompression under only slightly changing pressure conditions, until the peak temperature conditions of Variscan metamorphism were reached. The result of this modelling is a pressure‐temperature‐time (P–T–t) heating path that is consistent with a tectonic interpretation implying thickening of the lithosphere during continental collision and subsequent mantle ‐ crustal lithosphere decoupling plus extension. A direct implication of this model is that the heat budget of Variscan metamorphism was controlled by the convective replacement of the thickened lithospheric root with asthenospheric material.