HP–UHP Metamorphism and Tectonic Evolution of Orogenic Belts
High pressure (HP) and ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks play a key role in understanding the tectonic evolution of orogenic belts. They have typically experienced complex changes during subduction and exhumation processes arising from recrystallization, deformation, fluid–rock interactions and even partial melting, and may therefore carry valuable records of evolving geodynamic systems in an orogenic belt. This special publication addresses the current work on HP–UHP metamorphism and its relation to the tectonic evolution of orogenic belts.
This special publication contains fifteen papers covering the important orogenic belts of the Himalaya, Dabie–Sulu, Tian Shan, North Qaidam and others that have been grouped into three parts: (I) new developments in the determination of metamorphic pressure–temperature (PT) conditions and their timing, (II) overview papers of well-known HP–UHP metamorphic belts and (III) research papers for some newly discovered HP–UHP belts.
Ultrahigh pressure metamorphism and tectonic evolution of southwestern Tianshan orogenic belt, China: a comprehensive review
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Published:January 01, 2019
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CiteCitation
Lifei Zhang, Yang Wang, Lijuan Zhang, Zeng Lü, 2019. "Ultrahigh pressure metamorphism and tectonic evolution of southwestern Tianshan orogenic belt, China: a comprehensive review", HP–UHP Metamorphism and Tectonic Evolution of Orogenic Belts, Lifei Zhang, Zeming Zhang, Hans-Peter Schertl, Chunjing Wei
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Abstract
Recently, a huge ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic belt of oceanic type has been recognized in SW Tianshan, China. Petrological studies show that the UHP metamorphic rocks of SW Tianshan orogenic belt include mafic eclogites and blueschists, pelitic garnet phengite schists, marbles and serpentinites. The well-preserved coesite inclusions are commonly found in eclogites, garnet phengite schists and marbles. Ti-clinohumite and Ti-chondrodite have been identified in UHP metamorphic serpentinites. Based on the P–T pseudosection calculation and combined U–Pb zircon dating, the P–T–t path has been outlined as four stages: cold subduction to UHP conditions before c. 320 Ma whose peak ultrahigh pressure is about 30 kbar at 500°C; heating decompression from the Pmax to the Tmax stage before 305 Ma whose peak temperature is about 600°C at 22 kbar; then the early cold exhumation from amphibolite eclogite facies to epidote-amphibolite facies metamorphism before 220 Ma; and the last tectonic exhumation from epidote amphibolite facies to greenschist facies metamorphism. Combining with the syn-subduction arc-like 333–326 Ma granitic rocks and 280–260 Ma S-type granites in the coeval low-pressure and high-temperature metamorphic belt, the tectonic evolution of Tianshan UHP metamorphic belt during late Cambrian to early Triassic has been proposed in this paper.
- absolute age
- Ar/Ar
- Asia
- blueschist
- Cambrian
- China
- dates
- eclogite
- epidote-amphibolite facies
- facies
- Far East
- high-grade metamorphism
- lithosphere
- marbles
- Mesozoic
- metaigneous rocks
- metamorphic belts
- metamorphic rocks
- metamorphism
- metapelite
- metasedimentary rocks
- metasomatic rocks
- mineral assemblages
- oceanic lithosphere
- orogenic belts
- P-T conditions
- P-T-t paths
- Paleozoic
- plate tectonics
- pressure
- schists
- serpentinite
- subduction
- tectonics
- textures
- Tien Shan
- Triassic
- ultrahigh pressure
- southwestern Tien Shan