Synchronous formation of the ‘forearc’ Bay of Islands ophiolite and its basal high-temperature metamorphic sole constrained by U–Pb zircon ages

• Published in: Geoscience Frontiers
• Main Authors: Weiyao Yan, John F. Casey
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2023
• Subjects: Ophiolite metamorphic sole; U–Pb zircon ages; Hot subduction interface; Supra-subduction forearc spreading center; Arc-continent collision; Taconic Orogeny; Geology; QE1-996.5; Blow Me Down; Blow Me Down Mountain; Table Mountain; Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2023.101649; https://doaj.org/article/21b316aaa3134d5ba2f64e9466597253

The welded metamorphic sole at the base of the Bay of Islands Ophiolite Complex (BOIC) in the Northern Appalachians of Newfoundland shows a typical inverted pressure-temperature (P-T) metamorphic gradient from HT-MP granulite to LT-LP greenschist facies. It incorporates mafic volcanic/plutonic protoliths mixed with pelagic, hemi-pelagic and coarser epiclastic sedimentary protoliths. New LA-ICP-MS U–Pb concordia ages, trace elements, and Ti-in-zircon geothermometry for ∼250 zircon analyses from three metabasites of the upper HT sole amphibolites with N-MORB-like protoliths are reported. Two samples collected within meters of the ophiolite peridotite-sole contact of the Blow Me Down Mountain and North Arm Mountain massifs yielded the oldest comparable concordia ages of 487.7±2.6 Ma and 489.1±3.1 Ma, respectively, that are both within error of the igneous age of 488.3±1.5 Ma of the directly overlying BOIC ophiolite, which formed at a supra-subduction zone (SSZ) forearc spreading center. A third slightly younger age of 484.2±2.4 Ma was obtained for an upper HT amphibolite sample with similar phase assemblages but collected ∼30 m below the peridotite contact of the Table Mountain massif. Zircon crystals analyzed have similar size and morphologies, subparallel rare earth element (REE) variation patterns, and steep heavy REE-enrichments ((Lu/Gd)cn >20), significant positive Ce anomalies (dominantly >5) and slight positive to dominantly negative Eu anomalies (1.2 – 0.4). Zircon shows Th/U mean values of 0.37 – 0.48 with little to no rim to core variation. Minimum Ti-in-zircon mean crystallization temperatures range from ∼764 – 787 °C. These neocrystallized zircon crystals appear to be derived from thin leucosomes within the three amphibolites. Two other samples also from the upper HT sole show evidence of inherited detrital zircon with core dates spanning the Cambrian Notre Dame Arc through older Laurentian-like basement and rift age ranges.Subcretion of the sole took place below a hot forearc asthenospheric ...