Pre-Alpine tectonic evolution of the Eastern Alps: From Prototethys to Paleotethys

Neubauer, Franz; Liu, Yongjiang; Dong, Yunpeng; Chang, Ruihong; Genser, Johann; Shen, Yuan

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2022.103923

Cited by 31 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 202 publications

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“…This interpretation is consistent with recent paleogeographic reconstructions proposing the closure of one or several oceanic domains and basins during the Devonian before the Carboniferous collision (e.g. Deiller et al, 2021;Franke et al, 2017;Lardeaux et al, 2014;Neubauer et al, 2022).…”

Section: Tectonic Evolution Of the Servoz Syncline Within The Varisca...supporting

confidence: 91%

Thermal evolution of a Variscan syn-orogenic intracontinental basin (Servoz basin, Western Alps): RSCM geothermometry and geochronology

et al. 2022

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The Variscan basement of the Aiguilles-Rouges massif (Western Alps) exposes the Servoz syncline which consists of a metavolcano-sedimentary sequence composed of (i) a volcanic unit of unknown age and origin, (ii) Early Carboniferous sedimentary series affected by the Variscan orogeny and intruded by the Montées-Pélissier pluton, and (iii) a Late Carboniferous late-orogenic sedimentary sequence. We combined field investigations, Raman Spectroscopy on Carbonaceous Material geothermometry, and LA-ICPMS U-Th-Pb geochronology on zircon in order to reappraise the sedimentary sequence of the Servoz syncline. Our results allow us to identify three distinct sedimentary formations (F1, F2 and F3). The F1 formation is composed of metagreywackes, bimodal volcanic and magmatic rocks formed during basin opening at an early rifting stage (370–350 Ma) within a back-arc geodynamic setting. This extensional regime was responsible for a high thermal event recorded by a ca. 115 °C/km apparent geothermal gradient. Local anatexis of the basement rocks under the basin is dated at 351 ± 5 Ma. Basin inversion occurred between 350 and 330 Ma in response to oblique collision, with the development of large-scale dextral shear zones and syn-kinematic 340–330 Ma granite intrusions. Subsequent dextral transtension was responsible for the opening of a pull-apart basin between ca. 330 and 310 Ma with the deposition of the F2 phyllite formation that was later deformed by the ongoing dextral transcurrent Variscan tectonics at temperatures between 200 and 350 °C. Finally, the F3 terrigenous sedimentary rocks deposited at ca. 310–290 Ma in a late-orogenic extensional basin. The Alpine-related tectonic event overprinted all the temperatures below 350 °C. Although similar basins have been recognized in other External Crystalline Massifs of the Alps, the Servoz syncline is the first example that allows a major part of the polyphase tectonic evolution, since the early stages of the Devonian, to be recognized. Comparison with similar back-arc basins from the French Central massif, the Vosges massif and the Bohemian massif suggests that the External Crystalline Massifs initially belonged to the Moldanubian hinterlands of the Variscan belt.

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Section: Tectonic Evolution Of the Servoz Syncline Within The Varisca...supporting

confidence: 91%

Thermal evolution of a Variscan syn-orogenic intracontinental basin (Servoz basin, Western Alps): RSCM geothermometry and geochronology

et al. 2022

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“…Moreover, in agreement with previous works [123,133], we suggest that the Wechsel magmatic arc was formed in response to a south-directed oceanic subduction, followed by continental collision. These northern ocean and continent have been called Prototethys and Hunia/Galatia block, respectively [125,152]. However, in our terminology, the terms of Rheic suture and Laurussia (or Avalonia: i.e., the southern part of Laurussia) will be preferred, since they better emphasizes the place of the Alpine Variscan units in a unitary framework.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing the Variscan Terranes in the Alpine Basement: Facts and Arguments for an Alpidic Orocline

Faure

Ferrière

2022

Geosciences

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The existence of pieces of the Variscan belt in the Alpine basement has been acknowledged for a long time but the correlation of these massifs to the litho-tectonic domains established in Western Europa outside the Alpine chain is still disputed. Due to their ubiquitous character, the abundant late Variscan migmatites and granites are useless to reconstruct the Variscan architecture in the Alpine basement. Ophiolitic sutures, high- and low-grade metamorphic units, and foreland basins provide a preliminary reconstruction of the Variscan orogen exposed in the Alpine basement. The longitudinal extension of the Armorican and Saxo-Thuringian microcontinents between Laurussia and Gondwana is proposed independently of the Intra-alpine and Galatian terranes. The litho-tectonic units of the Corsica-Sardinia segment are correlated to the Moldanubian, Armorican and Saxo-Thuringian Domains. In the Alpine Helvetic and Penninic Domains, the Chamrousse ophiolites are ascribed to the Tepla-Le Conquet suture, whereas the Lepontine, and Stubach ophiolites represent the Rheic suture. The south-directed nappe stack of the South Alpine Domain is similar to the Moldanubian French Massif Central. In the Austroalpine nappe stack, the Ritting ophiolites separate Saxo-Thuringia and Armorica continental blocks. Disentangling the Variscan belt in the Alpine basement suggests a concave-to-the-East arcuate structure called here the Variscan Alpidic orocline.

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“…However, the Hunia terrane model as such can be fundamentally challenged, since several distal (i.e., ocean near) segments of the Cadomian orogen are distributed over both the Alps (Siegesmund et al 2021;Neubauer et al 2022) and the Bohemian Massif (Žák and Sláma 2018), a fact which would argue against a Cordillera loss. Apart from that, the concept of a persistent Cadomian-Ordovician subduction zone along the entire north Gondwana margin (Stampfli et al 2013) is disclaimed by numerous geologists, who argue instead in favor of a predominantly passive margin setting in the Ordovician (e.g., Franke et al 2017).…”

Section: Comparison Of the Kutjevo Zone With The Strona-ceneri Zone A...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Significant relics of pre-Permian basement can be found in many places throughout the Alpine orogen (e.g., Schaltegger and Gebauer 1999;Thöni 1999;Eichhorn et al 2001;von Raumer et al 2013;Neubauer et al 2022). These rocks constitute important mosaic pieces in the reconstruction of the Palaeozoic evolution of central Europe.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In simple terms, the pre-Permian basement rocks of the Alps are often referred to as "Variscan basement", assuming that they formed (or at least received a major tectonometamorphic imprint) during the Variscan orogeny. However, geochronological research increasingly shows that many of these rocks have a prominent Early Palaeozoic metamorphic and magmatic history (e.g., von Quadt 1992;Bussy and von Raumer 1994;Poller et al 1997;Zurbriggen et al 1997;Schulz et al 2004;Franz and Romer 2007;von Raumer et al 2013;Neubauer et al 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tracing the cryptic Sardic (Ordovician) metamorphism across Alpine Europe: the Krndija region in the Slavonian Mountains, Croatia

Mayer

Zeh

Krenn

et al. 2023

Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch)

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Results of a combined petrological, geochemical and geochronological study suggest that metasedimentary rock units in the Krndija region of the Slavonian Mountains, Croatia, were affected by at least three major tectonometamorphic imprints: during the Middle Ordovician (Sardic event), the early Carboniferous (Variscan event), and the Cretaceous (Alpine event). All three metamorphic phases are established by electron microprobe-based in-situ U–Th–Pb dating of monazite grains. The Sardic metamorphic event is additionally confirmed by a precise Lu–Hf garnet-whole-rock isochron age of 466.0 ± 2.3 Ma. Taken together, the data unveil a relatively large and well-preserved piece of the cryptic Sardic orogen in central Krndija, that we name the Kutjevo Zone. A Sardic subduction-related metamorphic event (ca. 540-580 ℃, 8–11 kbar) at ca. 466 Ma is manifested in the mineral paragenesis Ca-rich garnet plus rutile. A low degree of retrograde reequilibration suggests a subsequent fast exhumation. Low-Ca cores in some garnets and staurolite relics record a pre-HP metamorphic event that involves isobaric heating from 570 to 610 ℃ at ~ 7 kbar. We attribute this (so far undated) event to mid-crustal contact metamorphism caused by early Sardic magmatism. Southern parts of Krndija (the Gradište Zone) experienced an (additional?) clockwise PT evolution in Variscan times at ca. 350 Ma. Garnet formed with ilmenite during a PT increase from 580 ℃/5 kbar to 600 ℃/6 kbar and underwent later strong retrograde resorption. Slow Variscan exhumation resulted in andalusite formation at < 550 ℃/ < 3.8 kbar. Penetrative Alpine metamorphism was observed in low-grade phyllites in the north. The lithology and metamorphic history of the Kutjevo Zone is similar to what has been reported from the Sardic Strona-Ceneri Zone in the western Alps. Both areas expose metapelitic (metagreywacke) rocks with a pre-middle Ordovician formation age. These metasedimentary rocks are inter-layered with numerous small amphibolitic units as well as metagranitoids and were likely deposited along the active Gondwana margin, perhaps in a fore-arc position, prior to their subduction during the middle Ordovician. According to recent palaeogeographic reconstructions, both the Kutjevo Zone and the Strona-Ceneri Zone have once resided in an eastern sector of the northern Gondwana margin (i.e., in E-Armorica). We conclude that in the Middle Ordovician, important subduction activities took place in this E-Armorican segment of north Gondwana, which is today exposed in the Alps. The W-Armorican segment of north Gondwana (now exposed in the French, German, and Czech Variscides) had probably already mutated from a (Cadomian) subduction setting to an extensional (transtensional–transpressional) setting by the late Cambrian.

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Pre-Alpine tectonic evolution of the Eastern Alps: From Prototethys to Paleotethys

Cited by 31 publications

References 202 publications

Thermal evolution of a Variscan syn-orogenic intracontinental basin (Servoz basin, Western Alps): RSCM geothermometry and geochronology

Thermal evolution of a Variscan syn-orogenic intracontinental basin (Servoz basin, Western Alps): RSCM geothermometry and geochronology

Reconstructing the Variscan Terranes in the Alpine Basement: Facts and Arguments for an Alpidic Orocline

Tracing the cryptic Sardic (Ordovician) metamorphism across Alpine Europe: the Krndija region in the Slavonian Mountains, Croatia

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