Tectonic Growth of a Collisional Continental Margin: Crustal Evolution of Southern Alaska

40Ar/39Ar and U-Pb geochronology, geochemistry, and tectonic setting of three episodes of Cretaceous-Eocene calc-alkaline magmatism in the Lake Clark Region, southwestern Alaska
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Published:January 01, 2007
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Jeffrey M. Amato, Cheryl Foley, Matthew Heizler, Richard Esser, 2007. "40Ar/39Ar and U-Pb geochronology, geochemistry, and tectonic setting of three episodes of Cretaceous-Eocene calc-alkaline magmatism in the Lake Clark Region, southwestern Alaska", Tectonic Growth of a Collisional Continental Margin: Crustal Evolution of Southern Alaska, Kenneth D. Ridgway, Jeffrey M. Trop, Jonathan M.G. Glen, J. Michael O'Neill
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Cretaceous through Paleogene dominantly calc-alkaline magmatism in the Lake Clark region, southwestern Alaska, can be divided into three main periods of activity based on previous work and new 40Ar/39Ar and U-Pb geochronology. These episodes follow a protracted history of arc magmatism related to the Talkeetna arc. The first episode is Albian based on new 40Ar/39Ar dates from hornblende in dikes cutting the Tlikakila complex of 101–97 Ma. These rocks have relatively flat REE patterns and Th/Nb values lower than typical arc rocks but higher than average mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB). These data are consistent with rift-related magmatism in a region that had previously experienced arc magmatism. The second episode is represented by a granodiorite with a SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of 64.5 ± 0.9 Ma and is similar to widespread 70–60 Ma volcanic rocks to the west of the study area. These calc-alkaline rocks are enriched in the light REE and have high Th/Nb values. They were generated during northward subduction of the Kula plate beneath Alaska. The Eocene episode is also calc-alkaline with enriched light rare earth element (REE) and high Th/Nb values. 40Ar/39Ar equilibria in 100 Ma dikes were reset at 44–42 Ma, and biotite from a rhyolite indicates an eruptive age of 43.0 ± 0.2 Ma. These 43 Ma rocks formed during initiation of Aleutian magmatism on the continent in response to north or northwest subduction of the Pacific plate and may be related to a change in the direction or velocity of subduction at this time.
- absolute age
- Alaska
- amphibole group
- Ar/Ar
- basalts
- biotite
- Cenozoic
- chain silicates
- clinoamphibole
- Cretaceous
- dates
- dikes
- Eocene
- geochemistry
- geochronology
- granodiorites
- hornblende
- igneous rocks
- intrusions
- ion probe data
- Kula Plate
- magmatism
- mass spectra
- Mesozoic
- mica group
- mid-ocean ridge basalts
- nesosilicates
- orthosilicates
- Pacific Plate
- Paleogene
- plate tectonics
- plutonic rocks
- rhyolites
- sheet silicates
- SHRIMP data
- silicates
- Southwestern Alaska
- spectra
- subduction
- Tertiary
- United States
- volcanic rocks
- zircon
- zircon group
- Lake Clark