Whole-rock Pb and Sm-Nd isotopic constraints on the growth of southeastern Laurentia during Grenvillian orogenesis

Research Article| September 01, 2010 Whole-rock Pb and Sm-Nd isotopic constraints on the growth of southeastern Laurentia during Grenvillian orogenesis Christopher M. Fisher; Christopher M. Fisher † 1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA †Current address: Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3X5, Canada; E-mail: c.fisher@mun.ca Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Staci L. Loewy; Staci L. Loewy 2Department of Geology, California State University, Bakersfield, California 93311-1022, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Calvin F. Miller; Calvin F. Miller 1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Peter Berquist; Peter Berquist § 1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA §Current address: Division of Science and Allied Health, Thomas Nelson Community College, Hampton, Virginia 23670, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W. Randall Van Schmus; W. Randall Van Schmus 3Department of Geology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert D. Hatcher, Jr.; Robert D. Hatcher, Jr. 4Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Science Alliance Center of Excellence, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Joseph L. Wooden; Joseph L. Wooden 5U.S. Geological Survey, Stanford–U.S. Geological Survey Micro Analysis Center, School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University, Green Earth Sciences Building, Stanford, California 94305-2220, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul D. Fullagar Paul D. Fullagar 6Department of Geological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-331, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Christopher M. Fisher † 1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA Staci L. Loewy 2Department of Geology, California State University, Bakersfield, California 93311-1022, USA Calvin F. Miller 1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA Peter Berquist § 1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA W. Randall Van Schmus 3Department of Geology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA Robert D. Hatcher, Jr. 4Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Science Alliance Center of Excellence, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA Joseph L. Wooden 5U.S. Geological Survey, Stanford–U.S. Geological Survey Micro Analysis Center, School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University, Green Earth Sciences Building, Stanford, California 94305-2220, USA Paul D. Fullagar 6Department of Geological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-331, USA †Current address: Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3X5, Canada; E-mail: c.fisher@mun.ca §Current address: Division of Science and Allied Health, Thomas Nelson Community College, Hampton, Virginia 23670, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 23 Jun 2009 Revision Received: 09 Nov 2009 Accepted: 16 Nov 2009 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 © 2010 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2010) 122 (9-10): 1646–1659. https://doi.org/10.1130/B30116.1 Article history Received: 23 Jun 2009 Revision Received: 09 Nov 2009 Accepted: 16 Nov 2009 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Christopher M. Fisher, Staci L. Loewy, Calvin F. Miller, Peter Berquist, W. Randall Van Schmus, Robert D. Hatcher, Joseph L. Wooden, Paul D. Fullagar; Whole-rock Pb and Sm-Nd isotopic constraints on the growth of southeastern Laurentia during Grenvillian orogenesis. GSA Bulletin 2010;; 122 (9-10): 1646–1659. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B30116.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The conventional view that the basement of the southern and central Appalachians represents juvenile Mesoproterozoic crust, the final stage of growth of Laurentia prior to Grenville collision, has recently been challenged. New whole-rock Pb and Sm‑Nd isotopic data are presented from Mesoproterozoic basement in the southern and central Appalachians and the Granite-Rhyolite province, as well as one new U-Pb zircon age from the Granite-Rhyolite province. These data, combined with existing data from Mesoproterozoic terranes throughout southeastern Laurentia, further substantiate recent suggestions that the southern and central Appalachian basement is exotic with respect to Laurentia.Sm-Nd isotopic compositions of most rocks from the southern and central Appalachian basement are consistent with progressive growth through reworking of the adjacent Granite-Rhyolite province. However, Pb isotopic data, including new analyses from important regions not sampled in previous studies, do not correspond with Pb isotopic compositions of any adjacent crust. The most distinct ages and isotopic compositions in the southern and central Appalachian basement come from the Roan Mountain area, eastern Tennessee–western North Carolina. The data set indicates U-Pb zircon ages up to 1.8 Ga for igneous rocks, inherited and detrital zircon ages >2.0 Ga, Sm-Nd depleted mantle model (TDM) ages >2.0 Ga, and the most elevated 207Pb/204Pb observed in southeastern Laurentia.The combined U-Pb geochronologic and Sm-Nd and Pb isotopic data preclude derivation of southern and central Appalachian basement from any nearby crustal material and demonstrate that Grenville age crust in southeastern Laurentia is exotic and probably was transferred during collision and assembly of Rodinia. These new data better define the boundary between the exotic southern and central Appalachian basement and adjacent Laurentian Granite-Rhyolite province. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.