From Cadomian back-arc basin to Rheic Ocean closure: the geochronological records of the Kurtoglu Massif, eastern Sakarya Zone, Turkey

New U-Pb zircon data from the Kurtoglu Massif (eastern Sakarya Zone, Turkey) reveal a Cadomian back-arc basin, evolving to closure of the Rheic Ocean. A host metapsammite from the lower tectonic slice of the massif yielded detrital zircon ages ranging from Neoarchean (2.73 Ga) to late Neoproterozoic with a major population between 610 and 553 Ma and a peak at 592 Ma, implying that the basement of the Sakarya Zone has a Cadomian affinity. This metasedimentary sequence was intruded by an orthogneiss in the early Ordovician (481 Ma) probably during the opening of the Rheic Ocean. Zircon grains from the overlying metasedimentary sample yielded concordant ages spreading throughout the Mesoproterozoic (1608-1032 Ma) and early Paleozoic (516-351 Ma), suggesting that they were deposited in the Rheic Ocean likely prior to its final closure. The muscovite metagranite, emplaced into the host rocks of the Kurtoglu Massif at 388 Ma, formed probably during northward closure of the Rheic Ocean. Zircon grains of a metasiltstone from the upper tectonic slice of the massif, represented mainly by phyllites, yielded similar age spectra to that of the host metapsammite of the lower tectonic slice. Such phyllites in the Pulur Massif similar to 35 km to the southeast display a close association with the ophiolitic complexes of the Rheic Ocean. This relationship together with the age spectra mentioned above suggests that sedimentation was on a place away from the Paleozoic igneous sources, in an analogous position to the southern passive margin of the Rheic Ocean.

Automated summary

New U-Pb zircon data from the Kurtoglu Massif in Turkey provide insights into the existence of a Cadomian back-arc basin and the closure of the Rheic Ocean. The study suggests that the basement of the Sakarya Zone has a Cadomian affinity and that sedimentation likely occurred prior to the final closure of the Rheic Ocean.