Isotopic systematics of zircon indicate an African affinity for the rocks of southernmost India

Southern India lies in an area of Gondwana where multiple blocks are juxtaposed along Moho-penetrating structures, the significance of which are not well understood. Adequate geochronological data that can be used to differentiate the various blocks are also lacking. We present a newly acquired SIMS...

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Main Authors: Clark, Chris, Collins, A.S., Taylor, Richard, Hand, M.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP150102773
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90929
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author Clark, Chris
Collins, A.S.
Taylor, Richard
Hand, M.
author_facet Clark, Chris
Collins, A.S.
Taylor, Richard
Hand, M.
author_sort Clark, Chris
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Southern India lies in an area of Gondwana where multiple blocks are juxtaposed along Moho-penetrating structures, the significance of which are not well understood. Adequate geochronological data that can be used to differentiate the various blocks are also lacking. We present a newly acquired SIMS U–Pb, Lu–Hf, O isotopic and trace element geochemical dataset from zircon and garnet from the protoliths of the Nagercoil Block at the very tip of southern India. The data indicate that the magmatic protoliths of the rocks in this block formed at c. 2040 Ma with Lu–Hf, O-isotope and trace element data consistent with formation in a magmatic arc environment. The zircon data from Nagercoil Block are isotopically and temporally distinct from those in all the other blocks in southern India, but remarkably correspond to rocks in East Africa that are exposed on the southern margin of the Tanzania–Bangweulu Block. The new data suggest that the tip of southern India has an African affinity and a major suture zone must lie along its northern margin. All of these blocks were finally brought together during the Ediacaran-Cambrian amalgamation of Gondwana where they underwent high to ultrahigh temperature metamorphism.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-909292023-05-04T08:25:35Z Isotopic systematics of zircon indicate an African affinity for the rocks of southernmost India Clark, Chris Collins, A.S. Taylor, Richard Hand, M. Science & Technology Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology - Other Topics U-PB GEOCHRONOLOGY CONTINENTAL-CRUST GRANULITE TERRAIN ICP-MS GONDWANA CONSTRAINTS AGES CHARNOCKITE EVOLUTION SUTURE Southern India lies in an area of Gondwana where multiple blocks are juxtaposed along Moho-penetrating structures, the significance of which are not well understood. Adequate geochronological data that can be used to differentiate the various blocks are also lacking. We present a newly acquired SIMS U–Pb, Lu–Hf, O isotopic and trace element geochemical dataset from zircon and garnet from the protoliths of the Nagercoil Block at the very tip of southern India. The data indicate that the magmatic protoliths of the rocks in this block formed at c. 2040 Ma with Lu–Hf, O-isotope and trace element data consistent with formation in a magmatic arc environment. The zircon data from Nagercoil Block are isotopically and temporally distinct from those in all the other blocks in southern India, but remarkably correspond to rocks in East Africa that are exposed on the southern margin of the Tanzania–Bangweulu Block. The new data suggest that the tip of southern India has an African affinity and a major suture zone must lie along its northern margin. All of these blocks were finally brought together during the Ediacaran-Cambrian amalgamation of Gondwana where they underwent high to ultrahigh temperature metamorphism. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90929 10.1038/s41598-020-62075-y English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP150102773 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP fulltext
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
U-PB GEOCHRONOLOGY
CONTINENTAL-CRUST
GRANULITE TERRAIN
ICP-MS
GONDWANA
CONSTRAINTS
AGES
CHARNOCKITE
EVOLUTION
SUTURE
Clark, Chris
Collins, A.S.
Taylor, Richard
Hand, M.
Isotopic systematics of zircon indicate an African affinity for the rocks of southernmost India
title Isotopic systematics of zircon indicate an African affinity for the rocks of southernmost India
title_full Isotopic systematics of zircon indicate an African affinity for the rocks of southernmost India
title_fullStr Isotopic systematics of zircon indicate an African affinity for the rocks of southernmost India
title_full_unstemmed Isotopic systematics of zircon indicate an African affinity for the rocks of southernmost India
title_short Isotopic systematics of zircon indicate an African affinity for the rocks of southernmost India
title_sort isotopic systematics of zircon indicate an african affinity for the rocks of southernmost india
topic Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
U-PB GEOCHRONOLOGY
CONTINENTAL-CRUST
GRANULITE TERRAIN
ICP-MS
GONDWANA
CONSTRAINTS
AGES
CHARNOCKITE
EVOLUTION
SUTURE
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP150102773
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90929