Postnappe stacking extension and exhumation of high‐pressure/low‐temperature rocks in the island of Crete, Greece

Fassoulas, Charalampos; Κίλιας, Αδαμάντιος; Mountrakis, Dimosthenis

doi:10.1029/93tc01955

Cited by 156 publications

(136 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Vertical axis block rotations in the west Aegean region (50°since ∼15 Ma [van Hinsbergen et al, 2005b]) are well established, but have been shown to postdate most of the back-arc extension history , illustrating that the block rotation history of the Aegean is perhaps partly accommodated by, but not directly caused (if at all) by, back-arc extension. Moreover, most of the rotating region lies to the northwest of the Cycladic and south Aegean crystalline complexes where much of the Aegean extension was accommodated [Gautier et al, 1993;Fassoulas et al, 1994;Gautier and Brun, 1994;Jolivet et al, 1994bJolivet et al, , 1996Ring et al, 2003b;Jolivet and Brun, 2010]. Although relations between rotation and exhumation in the Rhodope core complex have been postulated [Brun and Sokoutis, 2007;van Hinsbergen et al, 2008a], the region that could have experienced major extension-related rotations in the west lies offshore central or southwestern Greece (Figure 1).…”

Section: Hinsbergen Et Al: Exhumation With a Twistmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exhumation with a twist: Paleomagnetic constraints on the evolution of the Menderes metamorphic core complex, western Turkey

et al. 2010

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Much remains to be understood about the links between regional vertical axis rotations, continental extension, and shortening. In western Turkey, Miocene vertical axis rotations have been reported that occur simultaneously with the extensional exhumation of the Menderes metamorphic core complex, which has been related to back‐arc extension in the eastern part of the Aegean back arc. In this paper we explore the spatial and temporal relationships between vertical axis rotations in southwestern Turkey and extensional unroofing of the Menderes Massif. To this end, we provide a large set of new paleomagnetic data from western Turkey, and integrate these with the regional structural evolution to test the causes and consequences of oroclinal bending in the Aegean region. The Lycian Nappes and Bey Dağları are shown to rotate ∼20° between 16 and 5 Ma, defining the eastern limb of the Aegean orocline. This occurred contemporaneously with the exhumation of the central Menderes Massif (along extensional detachments) and after the latest Oligocene to early Miocene exhumation of the northern and southern Menderes massifs. Exhumation of the latter two was not associated with vertical axis rotations. The lower Miocene volcanics in the region from Lesbos to Uşak, to the north of the central Menderes Massif underwent a small clockwise rotation, insignificant with respect to Eurasia. This shows that exhumation of the central Menderes Massif was associated with a vertical axis rotation difference between the northern and southern Menderes massifs of ∼25°–30°. This result is in excellent agreement with the angle defined by the trends of Büyük Menderes and Alaşehir detachments, as well as the angle defined by the regionally curving stretching lineation pattern across the central Menderes Massif. These structures define a pivot point (rotation pole) for the west Anatolian rotations. The rotation of the southern domain, including the southern Menderes Massif, the Lycian Nappes, and Bey Dağları, must have led to N–S contraction east of this pole. The eastern limit of the rotating domain is formed by the transpressional couple of the Aksu thrust and Kırkkavak Fault in the center of the Isparta angle. Previously reported clockwise rotations in the volcanic fields near Afyon may be the result of distributed N–S shortening east of the pivot point. The precise accommodation of this shortening history remains open for investigation. Late Oligocene to early Miocene extension in the eastern part of the Aegean back arc was NE–SW oriented and likely bounded by a discrete transform. This transform may be associated with an early evolution of the eastern Aegean subduction transform edge propagator fault. Oroclinal bending in the west Anatolian region is likely related to a reconnection of the eastern part of the Aegean orocline with the African northward moving plate in tandem with roll back in the Aegean back arc, comparable to a recently postulated scenario for western Greece.

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Section: Hinsbergen Et Al: Exhumation With a Twistmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exhumation with a twist: Paleomagnetic constraints on the evolution of the Menderes metamorphic core complex, western Turkey

et al. 2010

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“…Fassoulas et al, 1994;Jolivet et al, 1996) to explain the removal of overburden from above the PQ unit. However, the applicability of this mechanism remains highly questionable since either OligoceneEarly Miocene extensional related basins or normal-sense metamorphic breaks within the PQ unit have been not reported so far.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Crete, the shape of strain ellipsoid varies from flattening via plane to prolate (Fassoulas et al, 1994;Zulauf et al, 2002). 3D strain data from north Peloponnese show slightly constrictional to plane strain conditions, with k being approximately 1.4 .…”

Section: Finite Strainmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based primarily on overprinting criteria observed in map to outcrop scales as well as on microstructural data, three principal ductile deformation phases (D 1 -D 3 ) have been distinguished to constrain the structural evolution of the PQ unit (Greiling, 1982;Doutsos et al, 2000;Fassoulas et al, 1994;Zulauf et al, 2002;Kokkalas and Doutsos, 2004;Chatzaras et al, 2006;Xypolias et al, 2008). Deformation/metamorphism relationships described below in combination with the proposed P-T-t paths ( Fig.…”

Section: Phases Of Ductile Deformationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over the last two decades, several tectonic models for the exhumation of the PQ unit have been proposed, including underplating with symmetric syn-orogenic (Fassoulas et al 1994) or asymmetric syn-(or post-) orogenic extension (Jolivet et al, 1996), delamination of the subducting crust followed by buoyancy-driven exhumation (Thomson et al, 1999), solid-state ductile extrusion contemporaneous with continent-continent collision Doutsos et al, 2000) as well as gravitational collapse and erosion of a thickened crustal wedge . Each of these models predicts different structural settings and requires different deformation paths for the PQ unit rocks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Nature of Ductile Deformation in the Phyllite-Quartzite Unit (External Hellenides)

Xypolias

Chatzaras

2017

geosociety

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Paleo‐denudation rates suggest variations in runoff drove aggradation during last glacial cycle, Crete, Greece

Ott

Scherler

Wegmann

et al. 2022

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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The impact of Quaternary climate cycles on denudation rates and fluvial aggradation and incision is debated, especially in non-glaciated regions. Here we present paleo-denudation rates and geochronological constraints on aggradation and incision from the Sfakia and Elafonisi alluvialfan sequences on Crete, Greece. We report seven optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), ten radiocarbon ages, and eight 10 Be and eight 36 Cl denudation rates from modern and terrace sediments. For five samples, 10 Be and 36 Cl were measured on the same sample by measuring 10 Be on cherts and 36 Cl on calcite. Results indicate relatively steady denudation rates throughout the past 80kyr, but the aggradation and incision history indicate a link with shifts in climate. At the Elafonisi fan, we identify four periods of aggradation coinciding with Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 2, 4, 5a/b, and likely 6, and three periods of incision coinciding with MIS 1, 3, and likely 5e. At the Sfakia fan, rapid aggradation occurred during MIS 2 and 4, analogous to aggradation periods at the Elafonisi fan system, followed by up to 50 m of incision during MIS 1. Nearby climate and vegetation records show that MIS 2, 4, and 6 were characterized by cold and dry climates with sparse vegetation, whereas forest cover and wet conditions prevailed during MIS 1, 3, and 5. Our data thus suggest that past changes in climate had little effect on landscape-wide denudation rates, but exerted a strong control on the aggradation-incision behaviour of alluvial channels on Crete. During glacial stages, we attribute aggradation to hillslope sediment release promoted by reduced vegetation cover and decreased river sediment transport capacity; conversely, incision occurred during relatively warm and wet stages due to increased river transport capacity. We conclude that, in this landscape, past hydroclimate variations outcompeted changes in sediment supply as the primary driver of alluvial deposition and incision.

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Postnappe stacking extension and exhumation of high‐pressure/low‐temperature rocks in the island of Crete, Greece

Cited by 156 publications

References 34 publications

Exhumation with a twist: Paleomagnetic constraints on the evolution of the Menderes metamorphic core complex, western Turkey

Exhumation with a twist: Paleomagnetic constraints on the evolution of the Menderes metamorphic core complex, western Turkey

The Nature of Ductile Deformation in the Phyllite-Quartzite Unit (External Hellenides)

Paleo‐denudation rates suggest variations in runoff drove aggradation during last glacial cycle, Crete, Greece

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