Interactions between Deformation and Metamorphism: Controls on Shear Zone Rheology and Metamorphic Memory

University Of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

Investigators

Abstract

Selverstone 0000965 Developments in metamorphic petrology allow pressure, temperature time paths to be determined for many metamorphic rocks, however accompanying deformation commonly affects these estimates in a variety of poorly understood ways, sometimes leading to incorrect or misleading results. The goal of this project is to examine in detail the interrelationships between metamorphic and deformational processes is an amphibolite-facies shear zone exposed in the Alps that exhibits a variety of shear and flattening fabrics. Results will be used to develop a set of textural guidelines for distinguishing between samples that allow meaningful calculation of pressure temperature conditions from deformed rocks vs. those that yield spurious results. Deformation processes, compositions and fabrics will be used to estimate the effect these parameters have on bulls rheologies of the lithologies involved. This work has considerable importance in many areas where processes of metamorphism and deformation have operated synchronously.