On the Early Permian shape of Pangea from paleomagnetism at its core

Domeier, Mathew; Font, Eric; Youbi, Nasrrddine; Davies, Joshua; Nemkin, Samantha R.; Voo, Rob Van der; Perrot, Morgann; Benabbou, Mohamed; Boumehdi, Moulay Ahmed; Torsvik, Trond H.

doi:10.1016/j.gr.2020.11.005

Cited by 23 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…The Moroccan Variscan belt driven by moderate convergence resulted from the inversion of the NW Gondwana margin. It was then displaced relative to its Iberian counterpart by large transcurrent movement during the Late Carboniferous (Houari and Hoepffner, 2003;Mattauer et al, 1972) and Permian (Hoepffner et al, 2006;Michard et al, 2010) (Figure 6), which significance and age are greatly debated for Pangea reconstruction (Domeier et al, 2020). The Pan-African crust of Anti-Atlas was weakly overprinted by late-Variscan shortening (Burkhard et al, 2006;Helg et al, 2004;Séverine et al, 2004).…”

Section: Variscan To Post-variscan Magmatic Evolution On the Northern Margin Of Wacmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cenozoic mountain building and topographic evolution in Western Europe: impact of billions of years of lithosphere evolution and plate kinematics

Mouthereau¹,

Angrand²,

Jourdon³

et al. 2021

BSGF - Earth Sci. Bull.

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The architecture and nature of the continental lithosphere result from billions of years of tectonic and magmatic evolution. Continental deformation over broad regions form collisional orogens which evolution is controlled by the interactions between properties inherited from hits long-lasting evolution and plate kinematics. The analysis of present-day kinematic patterns and geophysical imaging of lithosphere structure can provide clues on these interactions. However how these interactions are connected through time and space to control topographic evolution in collision zones is unknown. Here we explore the case of the Cenozoic mountain building and topographic evolution of Western Europe. We first review the tectono-magmatic evolution of the lithosphere of Europe based on the exploitation of geological, geochronological and geochemical constraints from ophiolites, mafic rocks and xenoliths data. Combined with the analyses of low-temperature thermochronological and plate kinematic constraints we discuss the key controlling parameters of the topography. We show that among the required ingredients is the primary effect of plume-, rift- and subduction-related metasomatic events on lithosphere composition. Those main events occurred during the Neoproterozoic (750-500 Ma) and the late Carboniferous-Permian (310-270 Ma). They resulted in the thinning and weakening of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle of Europe. Contrasting lithosphere strengths and plate-mantle coupling in Western Europe with respect to the cratonic lithosphere of West Africa Craton and Baltica is the first-order parameter that explain the observed strain and stress patterns. Subsequent magmatic and thinning episodes, including those evidenced by the opening of the early Jurassic Alpine Tethys and the CAMP event, followed by late Jurassic and early Cretaceous crustal thinning, prevented thermal relaxation of the lithosphere and allowed further weakening of the European lithosphere. The spatial and temporal evolution of topographic growth resolved by the episodes of increased exhumation show two main periods of mountain building. During the late Cretaceous-early Cenozoic (80-50 Ma) contractional deformation was distributed from North Africa to Europe, but the topographic response to the onset of Africa-Eurasia convergence is detected only in central Europe. The lack of rapid exhumation signal in southern Europe and north Africa reveal that the initial continental accretion in these regions was accommodated under water in domains characterized by thin continental or oceanic crust. The second phase of orogenic uplift period starts at about 50 Ma between the High Atlas and the Pyrenees. This second key period reflects the time delay required for the wider rift systems positioned between Africa and Europe to close, likely promoted by the acceleration of convergence. Tectonic regime then became extensional in northern Europe as West European Rift (WER) opened. This event heralds the opening of the Western Mediterranean between Adria and Iberia at ca. 35 Ma. While mature orogenic systems developed over Iberia at this time, the eastern domain around northern Adria (Alps) was still to be fully closed. This kinematic and mechanical conditions triggered the initiation of backarc extension, slab retreat and delamination in the absence of strong slab pull forces. From about 20 Ma, the high temperature in the shallow asthenosphere and magmatism trapped in the mantle lithosphere contributed to topographic uplift. The first period (80-20 Ma) reveals spatially variable onset of uplift in Europe that are arguably controlled by inherited crustal architecture, superimposed on the effect of large-scale lithospheric properties. The second period marks a profound dynamic change, as sub-lithospheric processes became the main drivers. The channelized mantle flow from beneath Morocco to Central Europe builds the most recent topography. In this study, we have resolved when, where and how inheritance at lithospheric and crustal levels rule mountain building processes. More studies focus on the tectonic-magmatic evolution of the continental lithosphere are needed. We argue that when they are combined with plate reconstructions and thermochronological constraints the relative impact of inheritance and plate convergence on the orogenic evolution can be resolved.

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Section: Variscan To Post-variscan Magmatic Evolution On the Northern Margin Of Wacmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cenozoic mountain building and topographic evolution in Western Europe: impact of billions of years of lithosphere evolution and plate kinematics

Mouthereau¹,

Angrand²,

Jourdon³

et al. 2021

BSGF - Earth Sci. Bull.

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“…McKerrow et al, 2000;Scotese, 2004;Stampfli and Borel, 2002). A more detailed geological and kinematic justification of this interpretation is presented in Young et al (2019) and a discussion of the palaeomagnetic challenges in amalgamating Pangea are presented in Domeier et al (2020Domeier et al ( , 2012 which we encourage interested readers to.…”

Section: Deviations From Dom16mentioning

confidence: 98%

Extending full-plate tectonic models into deep time: Linking the Neoproterozoic and the Phanerozoic

Merdith¹,

Williams²,

Collins³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Recent progress in plate tectonic reconstructions has seen models move beyond the classical idea of continental drift by attempting to reconstruct the full evolving configuration of tectonic plates and plate boundaries. A particular problem for the Neoproterozoic and Cambrian is that many existing interpretations of geological and palaeomagnetic data have remained disconnected from younger, better-constrained periods in Earth history. An important test of deep time reconstructions is therefore to demonstrate the continuous kinematic viability of tectonic motions across multiple supercontinent cycles. We present, for the first time, a continuous full-plate model spanning 1 Ga to the present-day, that includes a revised and improved model for the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian (1000-520 Ma) that connects with models of the Phanerozoic, thereby opening up pre-Gondwana times for quantitative analysis and further regional refinements. In this contribution, we first summarise methodological approaches to full-plate modelling and review the existing full-plate models in order to select appropriate models that produce a single continuous model. Our model is presented in a palaeomagnetic reference frame, with a newly-derived apparent polar wander path for Gondwana from 540 to 320 Ma, and a global apparent polar wander path from 320 to 0 Ma. We stress, though while we have used palaeomagnetic data when available, the model is also geologically constrained, based on preserved data from past-plate boundaries. This study is intended as a first step in the direction of a detailed and self-consistent tectonic reconstruction for the last billion years of Earth history, and our model files are released to facilitate community development.

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“…These magmatic formations occupy an area of about 48 km 2 and display massive textures and tabular surfaces. They are aligned along a NE-SW direction corresponding to the orientation of the major Hercynian to late [23][24][25][26]). Numbers 1-8 correspond to Carboniferous-Early Permian basins (1: the studied outcrops of Tiddas; 2: Bou Achouch, 3: Khenifra, 4: Chougrane, 5: Mechra ben Abbou, 6: Nzalet el Hararcha, 7: Senhaja, 8: Souss).…”

Section: Geological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…their stratigraphic, paleontological, and sedimentological characteristics, very little is known on the petrology, geochemistry, and geochronology, with the exception of the recent work of [23]. In this study, we focus on TSESDAI Permian volcanism affecting the northwestern Gondwanaland margin in order to (1) determine, using a sensitive highresolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) the zircon U-Pb age of volcanic crystallization; (2) assess the provenance of inherited zircons; (3) describe the mineral chemistry of the main rock-forming minerals; (4) characterize geochemically the magma affinities; and (5) discuss the petrogenesis of volcanic rocks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, we focus on TSESDAI Permian volcanism affecting the northwestern Gondwanaland margin in order to (1) determine, using a sensitive highresolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) the zircon U-Pb age of volcanic crystallization; (2) assess the provenance of inherited zircons; (3) describe the mineral chemistry of the main rock-forming minerals; (4) characterize geochemically the magma affinities; and (5) discuss the petrogenesis of volcanic rocks. [23][24][25][26]). Numbers 1-8 correspond to Carboniferous-Early Permian basins (1: the studied outcrops of Tiddas; 2: Bou Achouch, 3: Khenifra, 4: Chougrane, 5: Mechra ben Abbou, 6: Nzalet el Hararcha, 7 Senhaja, 8 Souss).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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U–Pb Zircon Geochronological and Petrologic Constraints on the Post-Collisional Variscan Volcanism of the Tiddas-Souk Es-Sebt des Aït Ikko Basin (Western Meseta, Morocco)

et al. 2021

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The NE–SW trending Tiddas Souk Es-Sebt des Ait Ikko (TSESDAI) basin, located at 110 km southeast of Rabat, in the region of Khmesset between the village of Tiddas Souk Es-Sebt des Ait Ikko, is the third largest late Palaeozoic continental trough in the northern Central Moroccan Meseta. It is a ~20 km long and ~2–3 km wide basin, comprising mainly mixed volcano-sedimentary reddish-purple continental Permian rocks laying with an angular unconformity on Visean deep marine siliciclastic sediments and unconformably overlain by the Triassic and Cenozoic formations. In this study we aim to better determine the age of Permian volcanics and their chemical and mineralogical characteristics, as well as assess the provenance of inherited zircons, thus contributing to the understanding of the late stages of the Variscan orogeny in Morocco. The standard volcanic succession includes the following terms: (i) andesites, lapilli tuffs and andesitic ash deposits; (ii) accumulations of rhyolitic lavas; (iii) lapilli tuffs and rhyolitic ash (formation F1); (iv) flows and breccias of dacites; (v) andesite flows; and (vi) basaltic flows. The various volcanic and subvolcanic studied rocks display calc-alkaline-series characteristics with high contents of SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, MgO, and relatively abundant alkalis, and low contents of MnO. In the classification diagram, the studied facies occupy the fields of andesites, trachy-basalts, dacites, trachydacites, and rhyolites and display a sub-alkaline behavior. These lavas would be derived from a parental mafic magma (basalts) produced by partial fusion of the upper mantle. Specific chemical analyses that were carried out on the mineralogical phases (biotite and pyroxene) revealed that the examined biotites can be classified as magnesian and share similarities with the calc-alkaline association-field, while the clinopyroxenes are mainly augites and plot on the calc-alkaline orogenic basalt field. Andesites and dacites of TSESDAI show similarities with the rocks of the calc-alkaline series not linked to active subduction and which involve a continental crust in their genesis. The existence of enclaves in the lavas of the TSESDAI massif; the abnormally high contents of Rb, Ba, Th, and La; and the systematic anomalies in TiO2 and P2O5 indicate also a crustal contamination mechanism. Three magmatic episodes are distinguished with two episodes that correspond to an eruptive cycle of calc-alkaline andesites and rhyolites followed by a basaltic episode. The SHRIMP U–Pb geochronologic data of zircons recovered from the rhyolite dome of Ari El Mahsar in TSESDAI basin show a Concordia age of 286.4 ± 4.7 Ma interpreted to date the magmatic crystallization of this dome. Thus, the rhyolite likely belongs to the third magmatic episodes of TSESDAI.

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On the Early Permian shape of Pangea from paleomagnetism at its core

Cited by 23 publications

References 72 publications

Cenozoic mountain building and topographic evolution in Western Europe: impact of billions of years of lithosphere evolution and plate kinematics

Cenozoic mountain building and topographic evolution in Western Europe: impact of billions of years of lithosphere evolution and plate kinematics

Extending full-plate tectonic models into deep time: Linking the Neoproterozoic and the Phanerozoic

U–Pb Zircon Geochronological and Petrologic Constraints on the Post-Collisional Variscan Volcanism of the Tiddas-Souk Es-Sebt des Aït Ikko Basin (Western Meseta, Morocco)

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