Depositional ages of clastic metasediments from Samos and Syros, Greece: results of a detrital zircon study

Siliciclastic metasediments from the islands of Samos and Syros, Cycladic blueschist unit, Greece, were studied to determine maximum sedimentation ages. Four samples from the Ampelos unit on Samos yielded age distribution spectra that range from ~320 Ma to ~3.2 Ga with a dominance of Cambrian–Neopro...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of earth sciences : Geologische Rundschau 2015-01, Vol.104 (1), p.205-220
Main Authors: Löwen, Kersten, Bröcker, Michael, Berndt, Jasper
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cambrian
Cretaceous
Detritus
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Geochemistry
Geological time
Geology
Geophysics/Geodesy
Jurassic
Mesozoic
Mineral Resources
Mineralogy
Original Paper
Research methods
Sedimentation & deposition
Sedimentology
Structural Geology
Triassic
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Siliciclastic metasediments from the islands of Samos and Syros, Cycladic blueschist unit, Greece, were studied to determine maximum sedimentation ages. Four samples from the Ampelos unit on Samos yielded age distribution spectra that range from ~320 Ma to ~3.2 Ga with a dominance of Cambrian–Neoproterozoic zircons (500–1,100 Ma). The youngest well-constrained age groups cluster at 500–550 Ma. Our results allow to link the Samos metasediments with occurrences showing similar age distribution patterns elsewhere in the eastern Mediterranean region (Greece, Turkey, Libya, Israel and Jordan) that record the influx of ‘Pan-African’ detritus. The lack of post-500-Ma zircons in the Samos samples is in marked contrast to the data from Syros that indicates Triassic to Cretaceous depositional ages. The samples from Syros were collected from the matrix of a meta-ophiolitic mélange that is exposed near the top of the metamorphic succession as well as from outcrops representing the basal part of the underlying marble-schist sequence. The zircon populations from Syros were mainly supplied by Mesozoic sources dominated by Triassic protolith ages. Subordinate is the importance of pre-Triassic zircons, but this may reflect bias induced by the research strategy. Sediment accumulation continued until Late Cretaceous time, but the overall contribution of Jurassic to Cretaceous detritus is more limited. Zircon populations are dominated by grains with small degree of rounding suggesting relatively short sediment transportation. Available observations are in accordance with a model suggesting deposition close to the magmatic source rocks.
ISSN:1437-3254
1437-3262
DOI:10.1007/s00531-014-1058-x