Stable isotope geochemistry of ultrahigh pressure metamorphic rocks from the Dabie-Sulu orogen in China: implications for geodynamics and fluid regime

Discovery of coesite, diamond, and extreme O-18-depletion in eclogites from the Dabie-Sulu orogen in central-east China has contributed much to our understanding of subduction of continental crust to mantle depths and its subsequent exhumation. Hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon isotope distributions were systematically investigated in the past 8 years for ultrahigh pressure (UHP) eclogites, gneisses, granulites, marbles, and peridotites from this exciting region. The available data show the following characteristic features: (1) variable delta(18)O values of -11parts per thousand to +10parts per thousand for the eclogites and gneisses, with both equilibrium and disequilibrium fractionations of oxygen isotopes among minerals; (2) disequilibrium fractionation of hydrogen isotopes between mica and epidote from both eclogites and gneisses, with low deltaD values up to -127parts per thousand to -100parts per thousand for phengite; (3) negative delta(13)C values of -28parts per thousand to -21parts per thousand for apatite as well as host-eclogites and gneisses; (4) positive delta(13)C values of +1parts per thousand to +6parts per thousand for coesite-bearing marble associated with eclogites; (5) zircons from metamorphic rocks of different grades show a large variation in delta(18)O from -11parts per thousand to +9parts per thousand, with U-Pb ages of 700 to 800 Ma for the timing of low-delta(13)C magma crystallization. It appears that the UHP metamorphic rocks exhibit ranges of delta(18)O values that are typical of potential precursor protolith rocks. Preservation of the oxygen isotope equilibrium fractionations among the minerals of the UHP eclogites and gneisses suggests that these rocks acquired the low delta(18)O values by meteoric-hydrothermal alteration before the UHP metamorphism. Thus, the UHP metamorphic rocks largely reflect the delta(18)O values of their premetamorphic igneous or sedimentary precursors. The stable isotope data demonstrate that basaltic, granitic, and sedimentary protoliths of the eclogites, orthogneiss, and paragneiss in the orogen were at or near the earth's surface, and subjected to varying degrees of water-rock interaction at some time before plate subduction. The low-delta(18)O rocks were isolated from water-rock interactions during their descent to and return from mantle depths. It appears that the oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon on the earth's surface were recycled into the mantle at depths of >200 km by the continental subduction. A fried ice cream model is advanced as an analogy to the rapid processes of both plate subduction and exhumation, with a short residence time of the UHP slab at mantle depths. The entire cycle of subduction, UHP metamorphism, and exhumation is estimated to take place in about 10 to 20 Ma. The O-18-depleted zircons and other minerals acquired their oxygen isotope compositions from low-delta(18)O magmas that incorporated the isotopic signatures of meteoric water in rifting tectonic zones prior to solidification. The U-Pb discordia dating for the O-18-depleted zircons revealed that the meteoric water-rock interaction occurred at Neoproterozoic, a time being much earlier than the UHP metamorphism at Triassic, but correlated with the Rodinian break-up, positive carbon isotope anomaly in carbonates, and the snowball earth event. The unusually low delta(18)O values can be acquired from either the meteoric water of cold paleoclimates or the melt water of glacial ice or snow Neoproterozoic rift magmatism along the northern margin of the Yangtze craton may have provided sufficient heat source to trigger the meteoric-hydrothermal circulation,. It is possible that the unusual O-18-depletion in the meta-igneous rocks occurs at some time prior to the snowball earth event, when there is a transition from a very cold earth with. continental glaciers to a widely glaciated earth where bulk of the earth is covered by sea ice as defined for the snowball earth. The heterogeneity of oxygen isotope compositions at outcrop scales demonstrates the absence of pervasive fluid infiltration during prograde, peak UHP, and retrograde metamorphism; most rocks appear to have recrystallized under virtually closed system conditions characterized by widespread lack of an aqueous fluid phase. Volatiles may not escape from the rock series during the rapid subduction of the continental crust, resulting in a general lack of syn-collisional arc-magmatism in this orogen. Big differences in pressure and time from the peak UHP stage to the retrograde HP eclogite-facies stage cause significant release of aqueous fluid by dehydration from decompressing slabs during exhumation. As a result, fluid flow occurred in a channellized way on small scales subsequent to the UHP metamorphism, with very limited mobility of fluid at peak UHP conditions. The fluid for retrograde reactions was internally buffered in stable isotope compositions. While some fluids were locally derived from the surrounding gneisses, more fluid was probably derived from internal dehydration of the rock units in question. In addition to the breakdown of hydroxyl-bearing minerals, exsolution of structural hydroxyl dissolved in nominally anhydrous minerals due to abrupt decrease in pressure may have been an important source for the retrograde fluid. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.