Project title:  Mesoproterozoic anorogenic granitoid magmatism in active shear zones

 

Major supervisor: Svetlana Bogdanova

 

 

Background and presentation of the problem

 

The Mesoproterozoic period between 1.6 and 1.4 Ga is commonly thought to be one of crustal stabilization in the almost entire North Atlantic realm. However, this time was also marked by convergent plate tectonics and accretion of new portions of juvenile crust at 1.6 to 1.4 Ga (e.g. Gower and Åhäll, 1998; Rivers, 1998). The palaeomagnetic data of Elming and others (1993) even indicate that was some shift of position of Fennoscandia and the whole East European Craton relative to Laurentia and Greenland. Thus the crust both in the south of the North American Craton and in the west of the East European Craton was strongly disturbed tectonically and experienced intense magmatism.

Numerous anorogenic-type intrusions, including some of the rapakivi-anorthosite type, penetrated the crust between ca. 1.6 and 1.4 Ga in the Scania and Blekinge, on Bornholm Island and to the east of the Baltic Sea in NE Poland, Lithuania and Belarus.  EW- trending zones of shearing appear to have controlled the siting of these anorogenic intrusions. This maybe applied both to the large Riga rapakivi ­anorthosite pluton of 1.58 Ga age and 1.50 Ga intrusions in Poland and Lithuania (Sundblad et al., 1994; Claesson et al., 1995). The zones of shearing and anorogenic magmatism in the Peri-Baltic­ Belarus region are associated not only with local reheating of the crust but also with amphibolite-facies metamorphism in the country rocks and the intrusions themselves. This is reflected by 40Ar/39Ar amphibole ages of 1.55 to 1.4 Ga (Bogdanova, Page et al., 1996 and in press). Seismic data suggest that the 1.65 to 1.5 Ga old igneous rocks may have underplated the West Lithuanian Granulite Domain, forming a low-velocity layer at depths of 12 to 16 km  (EUROBRIDGE Seismic Group, 1997).

Major EW-trending shear zones complicate the crustal structure of the Palaeoproterozoic orogen also in southeastern Sweden. The best known of these zones is the Blekinge Shear Zone (BSZ) that is stitched by ca 1.5-1.4 Ga Karlshamn-group granite intrusions. These granites somewhat resemble rapakivi-type rocks and show magmatic flow fabrics. The rock units on Bornholm Island are generally similar to those in Blekinge and Scania (cf. Jøgart, 1993). Previous structural observations may suggest that the main deformation and folding in SW Blekinge and on Bornholm occurred during movements along the EW shear zones.

The main problem to be solved by this project is to establish structural and temporal relationships between BSZ and the Mesoproterozoic granitic intrusions. Two alternatives may be expected:

1)           the shear zone was active BEFORE the granites intruded and the magma just used zones of weakness in the crust; in this case no particular structural link between the zone and the intrusions can be found, except elongated form of the batholiths. The age of metamorphic minerals in country rocks is older than emplacement/crystallization of the intrusion.

2)           the shearing was active DURING the emplacement and strongly uniformed structural pattern within and outside the intrusion. Ages of the shearing and emplacement are the same.

 

Key localities and objectives

 

Österlen, S Sweden

Granites with glomeroporphyritic which texture intruded gneisses of the unknown origin and age in the area around Stenshuvud were described as granite porphyries by Törnebohm and Hennig (1904). However, later these rocks were classified as volcanites or subvolcanites (SGU, map sheet, Ba 40).  There is another group of gneissic, medium-grained granites in the area also remain of unknown age and origin.

Geochemical-petrological and structural investigations of these granites and their country rocks are needed for understanding geological history of the region and for correlation of these granites with those in adjacent areas like Blekinge and western Scania.

 

Blekinge

 Between 1.5 and 1.4 Ga numerous granitic bodies intruded into the Palaeoproterozoic crust of the region. Two large batholiths, Karlshamn and Eringsboda, represent a significant part of this magmatism. These granites are coarse grained, porphyric with often rapakivi and antirapakivi textures and usually show magmatic flow fabrics. Multiple magma emplacements are suggested by SGU.

Some preliminary structural studies (Bogdanova and Cecys, 1999) have shown that emplacement of these batholiths are related to the Blekinge Shear Zone (BSZ) which is one of the prominent EW-trending shear zones known around the southern Baltic Sea.

Structural, petrological and geochemical investigations are required to establish temporal and spatial relationships between this zone and the granitic bodies. The study should include revealing of the internal structure of the batholiths (anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) and field structural observations) as well as defining different magma pulses (geochemistry). Timing of the BSZ activity and different magma pulses forming the batholiths can show whether the emplacements occurred in tectonic setting of active shear zone.

 

References

 

Åhäll, K.-I. and Gower, C.F., 1997. The Gothian and Labradorian orogens: variations in accretionary tectonism along a late Paleoproterozoic Laurentia-Baltica margin. GFF, 119: 181-191.

Bogdanova, S. and Cecys, A., 1999. Mesoproterozoic active shear zones controlling anorogenic magmatism in the western part of the East European Craton, EUG10, Strasbourg, pp. 688.

Claesson, S., Sundblad, K., Ryka, W. and Motuza, G., 1995. The Mazury complex - An extension of the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt (TIB) into the East European Platform?, Terra  nova, EUG 8 abstracts, pp. 107.

Elming, S.-Å. et al., 1993. The drift of the Fennoscandian and Ukrainian shields during the Precambrian: a palaeomagnetic analysis. Tectonophysics, 223: 117-198.

Jögart, T., 1993. The basement geology of Bornholm. Exkursionsfufrer auf Rugen und Bornhom: 120-149.

Rivers, T., 1997. Lithotectonic elements of the Grenville Province: review and tectonic implications. Precambrian Research, 86: 117-154.

Sundblad, K., Mansfeld, J., Motuza, G., Ahl, M. and Claesson, S., 1994. Geology, geochemistry and age of a Cu-Mo-bearing granite at Kabeliai, Southern Lithuania. Mineralogy and Petrology, 50: 43-57.

Törnebohm,  A. E. & Hennig, A., 1904: Beskrifning till blad 1 & 2 omfattande de topografiska kartbladen Landskrona, Lund, Krostianstad, Malmö, Ystad, Simrishamn. Sveriges Geologiska Undersökning.

 

 

 

Subproject 1:

The Stenshuvud and Tåghusa granites: new representatives of the Mesoproterozoic granitic magmatism in southern Sweden.

 

Aims: Which period of the crust formation in the Österlen area do the granites represent and to which tectonic setting do they belong? What is the origin of the granites and how their glomeroporphyritic texture was formed?

Time plan: fieldwork was carried out during period 1997-1999, all analyses are done and manuscript will be completed until the end of 2000.

Laboratories:  Some of chemical analyses were done at Luleå and some at ACME lab in Canada. Age determinations were carried out in the Museum of Natural History, Stockholm (NRM) and the Vernadsky inst. of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Moskow, Russia.

Economy: Apart from S. Bogdanova’s research grants (NFR), early stages of study were supported by the Swedish Institute.

Co-workers: Svetlana Bogdanova, Elena Bibikova (Moscow) and Karl-Axel Kornfält (SGU).

 

Subproject 2:

The NORDSIM study of 1.5-1.4 AMCG rocks in southern Sweden.

Aims: In southern Sweden many 1.5-1.4 Ga granitic intrusions show inhomogeneous zircon grains indicating multiple events of the rock formation. Because conventional methods have yielded discordant ages NORDSIM investigation could reveal exact timing of crystallization of granites along with overprinting and inherited events.

Time plan: fieldwork will be completed in 2000-2001 and NORDSIM studies will be carried out during 2001.

Laboratories:  NORDSIM facility in NRM, Stockholm

Economy: S. Bogdanova’s research grants (NFR).

Co-workers: Svetlana Bogdanova, Elena Bibikova (Moscow) and Åke Johansson (NRM).

 

 

Subproject 3:

The internal structure of the Karlshamn granite intrusion, SE Sweden.

 

Aims: To reveal the internal structure (different magma phases, magma flow pattern) of the Karlshamn granite intrusion using AMS, structural field observations and geochemistry; to establish relationships with the country rocks and BSZ using isotopic datings of magma pulses, enclaves/xenoliths and country rocks, to create 3D gravity-magnetic model, and finally, to model geochemical and structural-tectonic evolution of the intrusion.

Time plan: fieldwork will be completed in 2000, analytical part and manuscript in first half of 2001.

Laboratories:  Geochemical analyses will be done in Liege and ACME lab, geophysical modeling in Geological Survey of Lithuania (GSL), AMS measurements in Lund and isotopic work will be done in NRM, Stockholm.

Economy: S. Bogdanova’s research grants (NFR).

Co-workers: G. Bylund, L. Korabliova (GSL), J.-C. Duchesne (Liege), S. Claesson (NRM) and Åke Johansson (NRM).

 

 

Subproject 4:

The internal structure of the Eringsboda granite intrusion, SE Sweden.

 

This subproject is analogous to that Nr. 3 and has the same tasks to study another large Eringsboda intrusion related to BSZ. The fieldwork and analytics will be done in 2001, and manuscript should be ready in late 2001-early 2002.

 

 

Subproject 5:

Granite emplacement in active shear zones: a case from SE Sweden.

 

Aims: First, to study BSZ structurally employing AMS and field observations. Then, from available own data collected during subprojects above as well as from data in the literature, to establish relationships between the Mesoproterozoic granitic intrusions in SE Sweden and EW-trending shear zones (BSZ): timing, structural links etc.

Time plan: fieldwork (BSZ) will be completed in 2001, analytical part and manuscript in 2002.

Laboratories:  AMS measurements will be done in Lund and additional, if required, geochemical analyses in Liege and ACME lab.

Economy: S. Bogdanova’s research grants (NFR).

Co-workers: S. Bogdanova, G. Bylund, L. Page and S. Claesson (NRM).