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Thermochronological Evidence for Late Proterozoic (Vendian) Cooling in Southwest Wedel Jarlsberg Land, Spitsbergen
Geological Magazine
  • M. Manecki
  • D. K. Holm
  • J. Czerny
  • Daniel R. Lux, University of Maine - Main
Document Type
Article
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Publication Date
1-1-1998
Disciplines
Abstract/ Summary

Two Proterozoic terranes with different metamorphic histories are distinguished from geological mapping in southwestern Wedel Jarlsberg Land: a northern greenschist facies terrane and a southern amphibolite facies terrane which has been overprinted by greenschist facies metamorphism. To better characterize the tectonothermal history of these terranes we have obtained new Ar-40/Ar-39 mineral dates from this area. A muscovite separate from the northern terrane yielded a Caledonian plateau age of 432 +/- 7 Ma. The southern terrane yielded significantly older Ar-40/Ar-39 ages with three muscovite plateau dates of 584 +/- 14 Ma, 575 +/- 15 Ma, and 459 +/- 9 Ma, a 484 +/- 5 Ma biotite plateau date, and a 616 +/- 17 Ma hornblende plateau date. The oldest thermochronological dates are over 300 Ma younger than the age of amphibolite facies metamorphism and therefore probably do not represent uplift-related cooling. Instead, the Vendian dates correlate well with a regionally widespread magmatic and metamorphic/thermal resetting event recognized within Caledonian complexes of northwestern Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet. The apparent Ordovician dates are interpreted to represent partial resetting, suggesting that late Caledonian greenschist facies overprinting of the southern terrane was of variable intensity.

Citation/Publisher Attribution
Manecki, M, Holm, DK, Czerny, J, and Lux, D, 1998, Thermochronological Evidence for Late Proterozoic (Vendian) Cooling in Southwest Wedel Jarlsberg Land, Spitsbergen: Geological Magazine, v. 135, p. 63-69. Available on publisher's site at: http://geolmag.geoscienceworld.org/content/135/1/63.short
Publisher Statement
© Copyright 1998 by Cambridge University Press
DOI
10.1017/S0016756897008297
Version
publisher's version of the published document
Citation Information
M. Manecki, D. K. Holm, J. Czerny and Daniel R. Lux. "Thermochronological Evidence for Late Proterozoic (Vendian) Cooling in Southwest Wedel Jarlsberg Land, Spitsbergen" Geological Magazine Vol. 135 Iss. 1 (1998) p. 63 - 69
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/daniel_lux/5/