Thermal and baric evolution of garnet granulites from Sri Lanka |
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| Authors: | M SANDIFORD R POWELL SF MARTIN LRK PERERA |
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| Institution: | Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Adelaide, Box 498 GPO, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia;Department of Geology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia;1–3 Wallaroy Rd, Double Bay, 2028, Australia;Department of Geology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka |
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| Abstract: | Abstract Garnet granulites from Sri Lanka preserve textural and chemical evidence for prograde equilibration at temperatures of at least 700–750°C and pressures in the vicinity of 6–8 kbar. Associated strain patterns suggest prograde metamorphism occurred during and immediately following an episode of crustal thickening, with the prograde P–T conditions probably reflecting a combination of the conductive and advective transport of heat at the mid-levels of tectonically thickened crust. The occurrence of prograde wollastonite provides evidence for internally buffered fluid compositions, or fluid absent conditions, during peak metamorphism and precludes pervasive advection of a CO2-rich fluid. The advective heat component is therefore likely to have been provided by the transport of silicate melt. Intricate symplectitic textures record partial re-equilibration of the garnet granulites to lower pressures (? 4–6 kbar) at high temperatures (600–750°C), and testify either to the erosional denudation of the overthick crust prior to significant cooling (i.e. quasi-isothermal decompression) or to a subsequent static heating possibly of early Palaeozoic age (Pan-African). The metamorphic history of the Sri Lankan granulites is compared with high grade terrains in the neighbouring fragments of Gondwana, with the emphasis on similarities with Proterozoic granulites of the East Antarctic craton. |
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| Keywords: | granulites Gondwana Sri Lanka symplectite textures wollastonite |
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