Geology topics

J. G. Liou

Publications and source records attributed to J. G. Liou.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2011

U-Pb dating of large zircons in low-temperature jadeitite from the Osayama serpentinite melange, southwest Japan: Insights into the timing of serpentinization

Crystals of zircon up to 3 mm in length occur in jadeitite veins in the Osayama serpentinite mélange, Southwest Japan. The zircon porphyroblasts show pronounced zoning, and are characterized by both low Th/U ratios (0.2-0.8) and low Th and U abundances (Th = 1-81 ppm; U = 6-149 ppm). They contain inclusions of high-pressure minerals, including jadeite and rutile; such an occurrence indicates that the zircon crystallized during subduction-zone metamorphism. Phase equilibria and the existing fluid-inclusion data constrain P-T conditions to P > 1.2 GPa at T > 350°C for formation of the jadeitite. Most U/Pb ages obtained by SHRIMP-RG are concordant, with a weighted mean 206 Pb/ 238 U age of 472 ± 8.5 Ma (MSWD = 2.7, n = 25). Because zircon porphyroblasts contain inclusions of high-pressure minerals, the SHRIMP U-Pb age represents the timing of jadeitite formation, i.e., the timing of interaction between alkaline fluid and ultramafic rocks in a subduction zone. Although this dating does not provide a direct time constraint for serpentinization, U-Pb ages of zircon in jadeitite associated with serpentinite result in new insights into the timing of fluid-rock interaction of ultramafic rocks at a subduction zone and the minimum age for serpentinization.

International Geology Review↗

USGS2010

SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircon from the Xugou UHP eclogite, Sulu terrane, eastern China

clogites, together with garnet clinopyroxenites, occur as lenses within the Xugou garnet peridotite body in the southern Sulu ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane. Combined cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging and SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircon from two Xugou mafic eclogites provide added constraints on the timing of UHP metamorphism in this area. Zircons from both samples show subrounded to rounded shapes and patchy CL patterns without inherited igneous cores, indicating that they are metamorphic zircons. SHRIMP U-Pb analyses of these zircons yielded apparent U-Pb ages of 214-280 Ma, with a weighted mean age of 237 ± 8 Ma, which is consistent with previous reported UHP metamorphic ages from eclogite pods and country-rock gneisses. The Xugou mafic lenses may have formed by partial melting of the enclosing peridotites in the mantle before subduction (Zhang et al., 2003); then these eclogites, together with the host peridotites, were tectonically emplaced into the subduction zone and subjected to UHP metamorphism at 237 ± 8 Ma.

International Geology Review↗

USGS2006

Geochronology and tectonic significance of Middle Proterozoic granitic orthogneiss, North Qaidam HP/UHP terrane, Western China

Amphibolite-facies para- and orthogneisses near Dulan, in the southeast part of the North Qaidam terrane, enclose minor ultra-high pressure (UHP) eclogite and peridotite. Field relations and coesite inclusions in zircons from paragneiss suggest that felsic, mafic, and ultramafic rocks all experienced UHP metamorphism and a common amphibolite-facies retrogression. Ion microprobe U-Pb and REE analyses of zircons from two granitic orthogneisses indicate magmatic crystallization at 927 ?? Ma and 921 ?? 7 Ma. Zircon rims in one of these samples yield younger ages (397-618 Ma) compatible with partial zircon recrystallization during in-situ Ordovician-Silurian eclogite-facies metamorphism previously determined from eclogite and paragneiss in this area. The similarity between a 2496 ?? 18 Ma xenocrystic core and 2.4-2.5 Ga zircon cores in the surrounding paragneiss suggests that the granites intruded the sediments or that the granite is a melt of the older basement which supplied detritus to the sediments. The magmatic ages of the granitic orthogneisses are similar to 920-930 Ma ages of (meta)granitoids described further northwest in the North Qaidam terrane and its correlative west of the Altyn Tagh fault, suggesting that these areas formed a coherent block prior to widespread Mid Proterozoic granitic magmatism. ?? Springer-Verlag 2006.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2006

Protolith and metamorphic ages of the Haiyangsuo Complex, eastern China: A non-UHP exotic tectonic slab in the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure terrane

The Haiyangsuo Complex in the NE Sulu ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane has discontinuous, coastal exposures of Late Archean gneiss with amphibolitized granulite, amphibolite, Paleoproterozoic metagabbroic intrusives, and Cretaceous granitic dikes over an area of about 15 km2. The U-Pb SHRIMP dating of zircons indicates that theprotolith age of a garnet-biotite gneiss is >2500 Ma, whereas the granulite-facie metamorphism occurred at around 1800 Ma. A gabbroic intrusion was dated at ???1730 Ma, and the formation of amphibolite-facies assemblages in both metagabbro and granulite occurred at ???340-460 Ma. Petrologic and geochronological data indicate that these various rocks show no evidence of Triassic eclogite-facies metamorphism and Neoproterozoic protolith ages that are characteristics of Sulu-Dabie HP-UHP rocks, except Neoproterozoic inherited ages from post-collisional Jurassic granitic dikes. Haiyangsuo retrograde granulites with amphibolite-facies assemblages within the gneiss preserve relict garnet formed during granulite-facies metamorphism at ???1.85 Ga. The Paleoproterozoic metamorphic events are almost coeval with gabbroic intrusions. The granulite-bearing gneiss unit and gabbro-dominated unit of the Haiyangsuo Complex were intruded by thin granitic dikes at about 160 Ma, which is coeval with post-collisional granitic intrusions in the Sulu terrane. We suggest that the Haiyangsuo Complex may represent a fragment of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Paleoproterozoic terrane developed at the eastern margin of the Sino-Korean basement, which was juxtaposed with the Sulu terrane prior to Jurassic granitic activity and regional deformation. ?? Springer-Verlag 2006.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2006

Age and duration of eclogite-facies metamorphism, North Qaidam HP/UHP terrane, Western China

Amphibolite-facies para-and orthogneisses near Dulan, at the southeast end of the North Qaidam terrane, enclose minor eclogite and peridotite which record ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphism associated with the Early Paleozoic continental collision of the Qilian and Qaidam microplates. Field relations and coesite inclusions in zircons from paragneiss suggest that felsic, mafic, and ultramafic rocks all experienced UHP metamorphism and a common amphibolite-facies retrogression. SHRIMP-RG U-Pb and REE analyses of zircons from four eclogites yield weighted mean ages of 449 to 422 Ma, and REE patterns (flat HREE, no Eu anomaly) and inclusions of garnet, omphacite, and rutile indicate these ages record eclogite-facies metamorphism. The coherent field relations of these samples, and the similar range of individual ages in each sample suggests that the ???25 m.y. age range reflects the duration of eclogite-facies conditions in the studied samples. Analyses from zircon cores in one sample yield scattered 433 to 474 Ma ages, reflecting partial overlap on rims, and constrain the minimum age of eclogite protolith crystallization. Inclusions of Th + REE-rich epidote, and zircon REE patterns are consistent with prograde metamorphic growth. In the Lu??liang Shan, approximately 350 km northwest in the North Qaidam terrane, ages interpreted to record eclogite-facies metamorphism of eclogite and garnet peridotite are as old as 495 Ma and as young as 414 Ma, which suggests that processes responsible for extended high-pressure residence are not restricted to the Dulan region. Evidence of prolonged eclogite-facies metamorphism in HP/UHP localities in the Northeast Greenland eclogite province, the Western Gneiss Region of Norway, and the western Alps suggests that long eclogite-facies residence may be globally significant in continental subduction/collision zones.

American Journal of Science↗

USGS2005

U-Pb SHRIMP geochronology of zircon in garnet peridotite from the Sulu UHP terrane, China: Implications for mantle metasomatism and subduction-zone UHP metamorphism

We studied the Zhimafang ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic (UHP) peridotite from pre-pilot drill hole PP-1 of Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling project in the Sulu UHP terrane, eastern China. The peridotite occurs as lens within quartofeldspathic gneiss, and has an assemblage of Ol + Opx + Cpx + Phl + Ti-clinohumite (Ti-Chu) + Grt (or chromite) ?? magnesite (Mgs). Zircons were separated from cores at depths of 152 m (C24, garnet lhezolite), 160 m (C27, strongly retrograded phlogopite-rich peridotite) and 225 m (C50, banded peridotite), and were dated by SHRIMP mass spectrometer. Isometric zircons without inherited cores contain inclusions of olivine (Fo91-92), enstatite (En91-92), Ti-clinohumite, diopside, phlogopite and apatite. The enstatite inclusions have low Al2O3 contents of only 0.04-0.13 wt.%, indicating a UHP metamorphic origin. The weighted mean 206Pb/238U zircon age for garnet lherzolite (C24) is 221 ?? 3 Ma, and a discordia lower intercept age for peridotite (C50) is 220 ?? 2 Ma. These ages are within error and represent the time of subduction-zone UHP metamorphism. A younger lower intercept age of 212 ?? 3 Ma for a foliated wehrlite (C27) was probably caused by Pb loss during retrograde metamorphism. The source of zirconium may be partially attributed to melt/fluid metasomatism within the mantle wedge. Geochronological and geochemical data confirm that the mantle-derived Zhimafang garnet peridotites (probably the most representative type of Sulu garnet peridotites) were tectonically inserted into a subducting crustal slab and subjected to in situ Triassic subduction-zone UHP metamorphism. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Earth and Planetary Science Letters↗

USGS1981

Chemical modifications accompanying blueschist facies metamorphism of Franciscan conglomerates, Diablo Range, California

As part of an investigation of blueschist-facies mineral parageneses in pebbles and matrix of some Franciscan metaconglomerates of the Diablo Range, California, textural and major-element chemical analyses were conducted on a number of igneous pebbles that comprise a range of rock types from granite and dacite to gabbro and basalt. Compositions of the igneous pebbles differ significantly from common igneous rocks, particularly with respect to Ca, K, Na, Si and H2O. The SiO2 and H2O contents are characteristically high and the K2O contents low. The CaO and Na2O contents may be relatively enriched or reduced in different pebbles. The igneous pebbles show little evidence of alteration prior to their incorporation into the Franciscan conglomerates, and the chemical modifications are considered to have been produced during metamorphism of the conglomerates to (lawsonite + albite + aragonite ?? jadeite)-bearing assemblages. The observed variations in the pebbles are shown to be functions of: (1) bulk chemistry; (2) the igneous mineral assemblage; (3) the stable metamorphic mineral assemblage; and (4) the composition of pore fluids in the conglomerates. The relative proportions of Mg and Fe in most of the pebbles apparently have been unaffected by the metamorphism, and these parameters, along with other textural and chemical factors, were used to determine the petrogenetic affinities of the igneous pebbles. The plutonic and most of the volcanic pebbles correspond to calc-alkaline rock series, whereas a few volcanic pebbles show apparent Fe-enrichment characteristic of tholeiitic rocks. A continental margin arc-batholith complex would be the best source for these igneous detrital assemblages. Conglomerates in local areas differ in igneous lithologies from conglomerates in other areas and probably differ somewhat in age, perhaps reflecting varying degrees of unroofing of such a complex during deposition of Franciscan sediments. ?? 1981.

Chemical Geology↗