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Orogeny can be very short.

John F Dewey1

  • 1Department of Geology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA. jfdewey@ucdavis.edu

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 30, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Arc-continent collisions cause short-lived mountain building (orogeny) due to subduction polarity reversal. The Grampian Orogeny demonstrates this rapid tectonic process and associated metamorphism.

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Area of Science:

  • Tectonics
  • Geology
  • Metamorphism

Background:

  • Arc-continent collisions differ significantly from continent-continent collisions in their duration and associated geological processes.
  • Subduction of continental lithosphere and ophiolite obduction are key features of arc-continent collisions.
  • Subduction polarity reversal (flip) is a critical mechanism that terminates orogeny in these settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To illustrate the tectonic principles of arc-continent collision using the early Ordovician Grampian Orogeny.
  • To determine the precise timing and duration of different phases of the Grampian Orogeny.
  • To investigate the mechanisms of heat transfer during metamorphism in orogenic belts.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of sedimentologic, heavy mineral, and geochronologic data.
  • Dating of geological events to establish a timeline for the orogeny.
  • Examination of metamorphic conditions and their relationship to tectonic processes.

Main Results:

  • The Grampian Orogeny occurred over a short period (approximately 18 million years) during the Arenig/Llanvirn.
  • Collisional shortening lasted 8 million years, followed by 1.5 million years of extensional collapse and 4.5 million years of postflip shortening.
  • High-grade metamorphism with partial melting occurred rapidly, suggesting advective heat transfer models are more appropriate than conductive ones.

Conclusions:

  • Arc-continent collisions result in rapid, short-lived orogenic events.
  • The Grampian Orogeny serves as a key example of this tectonic process.
  • Advective heat transfer, driven by magma emplacement, is crucial for understanding rapid metamorphism in orogenic belts.

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