Granitoid plutonism in the Caledonian orogen of Europe

• Main Author: Stephens, W. E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1988
• Subjects: Greenland
• Online Access: https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/granitoid-plutonism-in-the-caledonian-orogen-of-europe(ce579139-b78c-4164-acfa-0862981335d0).html; http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0024190742&partnerID=8YFLogxK

Granitoid plutonism is a feature of all major segments of the Caledonian orogen in NW Europe and Greenland. Available data on geological setting, age and composition are presented for each segment and are collated for use as the basis for a regional and temporal interpretation of magmatism during the Caledonian. Magmatism close to the northwestern foreland was dominantly alkaline whereas both alkaline and peraluminous compositions are represented on the southern foreland. Within the orogen early magmatism N of the Iapetus suture line was dominantly S-type resulting from crustal anatexis of dominantly metasedimentary rocks, while there is a later shift to predominantly I-type granitoid plutonism. S of the Iapetus suture line plutonism within the orogen in Scandinavia is essentially I-type, whereas in Britain and Ireland it has more S-type characteristics supporting recent propositions of two separate southerly plates. The overall pattern of plutonism contrasts markedly with that of younger subduction-related batholiths. -Author