Evolution of the blueschist and greenschist facies rocks of Sifnos, Cyclades, Greece - A stable isotope study of subduction-related metamorphism

Alan Matthews*, Manfred Schliestedt

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

162 Scopus citations

Abstract

The metamorphism on the island of Sifnos is characterized by the Eocene development of a coherent highpressure blueschist terrane and an early Miocene greenschist facies overprint. This study documents the metamorphic evolution of the blueschist assemblages, still preserved in the northern parts of the island, and their subsequent transformation into greenschists in the central and southern parts. The oxygen isotope geothermometry is based on calibrations for quartz, pyroxenes and magnetite (Matthews et al. 1983a) augmented by revised calibrations for the minerals muscovite (ΔQz-Mu=1.55×106T-2), epidote (δQz-Ep= 1.56+1.92 Δps)106T-2), and rutile (ΔQz-Ru=4.54×106T-2). Oxygen isotope analyses of minerals from the Blueschist unit of northern Sifnos give consistent fractionations which are independent of rock type. An average temperature of 455° C was obtained, although the scatter in temperatures deduced from the various geothermometers suggests that equilibration occurs under slightly changing physicochemical conditions. Analyses of minerals and whole rocks shows that pervasive equilibration in the presence of a common metamorphic fluid has not occurred. The minerals and whole rocks of the greenschists of central Sifnos are systematically enriched in 18O relative to the blueschist assemblages. Chemical data indicate that the greenschist overprint was accompanied by a metasomatic enrichment of Ca2+ and CO2. The petrologic, isotopic and chemical evidence favour a metamorphism governed by the infiltration of 18O-CO2 enriched aqueous solutions. It is reasonable to assume that this is connected with the Miocene magmatic activity observed throughout the Cyclades. The marbles separating the Blueschist from the Greenschist unit probably acted as barriers to fluid infiltration into the blueschists and were responsible for their preservation. The pressure of the blueschist metamorphism is estimated at 14±2 kbar, corresponding to a depth of ca. 50 km. The structural style and stratigraphy of Sifnos are suggestive of the subduction of a continental margin sequence. It is clear that the considerable tectonic depression may be associated with continental collision and underthrusting.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)150-163
Number of pages14
JournalContributions to Mineralogy and Petrology
Volume88
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1984

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