Continental Growth and Recycling in Convergent Orogens with Large Turbidite Fans on Oceanic Crust

David Foster; Ben Goscombe

doi:10.3390/geosciences3030354

journal article Open Access Jul 05, 2013

Continental Growth and Recycling in Convergent Orogens with Large Turbidite Fans on Oceanic Crust

David Foster Ben Goscombe

Geosciences Vol. 3 No. 3 pp. 354-388 · MDPI AG

View at Publisher Save 10.3390/geosciences3030354

Abstract

Convergent plate margins where large turbidite fans with slivers of oceanic basement are accreted to continents represent important sites of continental crustal growth and recycling. Crust accreted in these settings is dominated by an upper layer of recycled crustal and arc detritus (turbidites) underlain by a layer of tectonically imbricated upper oceanic crust and/or thinned continental crust. When oceanic crust is converted to lower continental crust it represents a juvenile addition to the continental growth budget. This two-tiered accreted crust is often the same thickness as average continental crustal and is isostatically balanced near sea level. The Paleozoic Lachlan Orogen of eastern Australia is the archetypical example of a tubidite-dominated accretionary orogeny. The Neoproterozoic-Cambrian Damaran Orogen of SW Africa is similar to the Lachlan Orogen except that it was incorporated into Gondwana via a continent-continent collision. The Mesozoic Rangitatan Orogen of New Zealand illustrates the transition of convergent margin from a Lachlan-type to more typical accretionary wedge type orogen. The spatial and temporal variations in deformation, metamorphism, and magmatism across these orogens illustrate how large volumes of turbidite and their relict oceanic basement eventually become stable continental crust. The timing of deformation and metamorphism recorded in these rocks reflects the crustal thickening phase, whereas post-tectonic magmatism constrains the timing of chemical maturation and cratonization. Cratonization of continental crust is fostered because turbidites represent fertile sources for felsic magmatism. Recognition of similar orogens in the Proterozoic and Archean is important for the evaluation of crustal growth models, particularly for those based on detrital zircon age patterns, because crustal growth by accretion of upper oceanic crust or mafic underplating does not readily result in the addition of voluminous zircon-bearing magmas at the time of accretion. This crust only produces significant zircon when and if it partially melts, which may occur long after accretion.

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Details

Published: Jul 05, 2013
Vol/Issue: 3(3)
Pages: 354-388
License: View

Authors

D

David Foster

Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA

B

Ben Goscombe

Integrated Terrane Analysis Research, 18 Cambridge Road, Aldgate, South Australia 5154, Australia

Cite This Article

David Foster, Ben Goscombe (2013). Continental Growth and Recycling in Convergent Orogens with Large Turbidite Fans on Oceanic Crust. Geosciences, 3(3), 354-388. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences3030354

Continental Growth and Recycling in Convergent Orogens with Large Turbidite Fans on Oceanic Crust

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