Variations in the P-T-t of Deformation in a Crustal-Scale Shear Zone in
Metagranite
Abstract
Deformation in crustal-scale shear zones occurs over a range of
pressure-temperature-time (P-T-t) conditions, both because they may be
vertically extensive structures that simultaneously affect material from
the lower crust to the surface, and because the conditions at which any
specific volume of rock is deformed evolve over time, as that material
is advected by fault activity. Extracting such P-T-t records is
challenging, because structures may be overprinted by progressive
deformation. In addition, granitic rocks in particular may lack
synkinematic mineral assemblages amenable to traditional metamorphic
petrology and petrochronology. We overcome these challenges by studying
the normal-sense Simplon Shear Zone in the central Alps, where strain
localization in the exhuming footwall caused progressive narrowing of
the shear zone, resulting in a zonation from high-T shearing preserved
far into the footwall, to low-T shearing adjacent to the hangingwall.
The Ti-in-quartz and Si-in-phengite thermobarometers yield deformation
P-T conditions, as both were reset synkinematically, and although the
sheared metagranites lack typical petrochronometers, we estimate the
timing of deformation by comparing our calculated deformation
temperatures to published thermochronological ages. The exposed SSZ
footwall preserves evidence for retrograde deformation during
exhumation, from just below amphibolite-facies conditions (490.2°C, 6.73
kbar) at ~24.5 Ma, to lower greenschist-facies
conditions (303.7°C, 1.51 kbar) at ~11.3 Ma, with
subsequent slip taken up by by brittle faulting. Comparison to
independent constraints on the maximum and minimum P-T-t conditions, and
to alternate approaches for estimating P-T, suggests that our results
may be reasonable, or may underestimate temperatures by up to
~30-90°C.