Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T16:17:43.912Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Papoose Flat Pluton of eastern California: a reassessment of its emplacement history in the light of new microstructural and crystallographic fabric observations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

R. D. Law ,
S. S. Morgan ,
M. Casey ,
A. G. Sylvester  and
M. Nyman
R. D. Law
Affiliation:
R. D. Law, S. S. Morgan & M. Nyman, Department of Geological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute &State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, U.S.A.
M. Casey
Affiliation:
M. Casey, Geologisches Institut, ETH-Zentrum, Zurich CH 8092, Switzerland
A. G. Sylvester
Affiliation:
A. G. Sylvester, Department of Geological Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, U.S.A.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

One of the most outstanding apparent examples in N America of a forcibly emplaced pluton is the Papoose Flat Pluton of eastern California. Sideways expansion of this granitic pluton, during emplacement into a series of Cambrian shelf strata, has been regarded by early workers as resulting in the observed intense crystal plastic deformation of the pluton's mylonitic border facies and surrounding country rocks. This deformation is evidenced by up to 90% thinning of individual stratigraphic layers within the pluton's metamorphic aureole, although such intense penetrative deformation of the country rocks is not observed outside the aureole.

Previously published quartz c-axis fabrics associated with this deformation (and presented on projection planes oriented perpendicular to lineation) were interpreted as being symmetrical with respect to foliation and lineation, implying almost coaxial deformation histories. Such fabrics could be interpreted as indicating that the pluton evolved by “ballooning” as a result of new magma being intruded into its core during emplacement. However, a major problem with applying the strict ballooning model to the Papoose Flat Pluton is that while oblate strains would be expected to develop in association with a ballooning mechanism, the mylonitic rocks of this elongate WNW-ESE-trending pluton and its aureole are characterised by both a strongly developed foliation, which is concordant with the pluton's margin, and an intense, NW-SE trending, shallow plunging stretching lineation.

Previously published fabrics from the Papoose Flat Pluton and its metamorphic aureole have been rotated on to a projection plane oriented parallel to lineation and perpendicular to foliation. Examination of the fabrics in this projection plane has revealed that they are in fact dominantly asymmetric, and that a constant sense of asymmetry is detected across the pluton, suggesting a consistent (top-to-the-SE) shear-sense. This new interpretation is strongly supported by microstructural and petrofabric analysis of additional L-S tectonites collected, during recent fieldwork, from both the aureole and quartz veins within the pluton's gneissic border facies. Thus mylonite formation around the Papoose Flat Pluton could have involved large-scale consistently oriented translation and associated shearing, rather than passive “blister-like” coaxial deformation associated with pluton ballooning. It should be noted that mylonitic deformation is restricted to the western half of the pluton, features indicative of a more “permitted” emplacement mechanism being found in the eastern portion of the pluton.

The detected top-to-the-SE shear-sense could be interpreted as indicating that the granitic material forming the western part of the pluton was forcibly intruded in a northwestward direction from the pluton source as a nearly solidified wedge beneath a static cover of sedimentary rocks. Alternatively, the detected shear sense could also be interpreted as indicating SE-directed thrusting of the cover rocks over the underlying pluton, the western margin of the pluton suffering intense mylonitic deformation, while the eastern margin was located in a “stress-shadow” region. If this alternative interpretation is correct, then the deformation temperatures indicated by the pattern of quartz c-axis fabrics dictate that thrusting must either be synchronous with pluton emplacement, or at least have commenced during the early stages of pluton cooling.

Keywords

calcitecontact metamorphismemplacement mechanismsgranitemylonitequartzshear sensetexture goniometry
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 83 , Issue 1-2: Second Hutton Symposium: The Origin of Granites and Related Rocks , 1992 , pp. 361 - 375
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anovitz, L. M. & Essene, E. J. 1987. Phase equilibria in the system CaCo3-MgCo3-FeCO3. J PETROL 28, 389–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bateman, P. C., Clark, L. C., Huber, N. K., Moore, J. G. & Rinehart, C. D. 1963. The Sierra Nevada batholith: a synthesis of recent work across the central part. US GEOL SURV PROF PAP 414–D.Google Scholar
Bateman, R. 1984. On the role of diapirism in the segregation, ascent and final emplacement of granitoids. TECTONO-PHYSICS 110, 211–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blumenfeld, P. & Bouchez, J.-L. 1988. Shear criteria in granite and migmatite deformed in the magmatic and solid states. J STRUCT GEOL 10, 361–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blumenfeld, P., Mainprice, D. & Bouchez, J. L. 1986. C-slip in quartz from subsolidus deformed granite. TECTONO-PHYSICS 127, 97–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bouchez, J.-L., Lister, G. S. & Nicolas, A. 1983. Fabric asymmetry and shear sense in movement zones. GEOL RDSCH 72, 401–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brun, J. P. 1983. L'origine des domes gneissiques: modeles et tests. BULL GEOL SOC FRANCE 25, 219–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brun, J. P. & Pons, J. 1981. Strain patterns of pluton emplacement in a crust undergoing non-coaxial deformation. J STRUCT GEOL 3, 219–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brun, J. P., Gapais, D., Cogne, J. P., Ledru, P. & Vigneresse, J. L. 1990. The Flamanville Granite (NW France): an unequivocal example of a syntectonically expanding pluton. GEOL J 25, 271–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Casey, M. 1981. Numerical analysis of X-ray texture data: an implementation in FORTRAN allowing triclinic or axial specimen symmetry and most crystal symmetries. TECTONOPHYSICS 78, 51–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castro, A. 1986. Structural pattern and ascent model in the Central Extramadura batholith, Hercynian belt, Spain. J STRUCT GEOL 8, 645–63.Google Scholar
Courrioux, G. 1987. Oblique diapirism: the Criffel granodioritegranite zoned pluton (SW Scotland). J STRUCT GEOL 9, 313–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunne, G. C., Gulliver, R. M. & Sylvester, A. G. 1978. Mesozoic evolution of rocks of the White, Inyo, Argus, and Slate ranges, eastern California. In Howell, D. G. & McDougall, K. A. (eds) Mesozoic paleogeography of the western United States. Pacific Section, Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Pacific Coast Paleogeography Symposium 2, 189–208, Los Angeles, California.Google Scholar
Etchecopar, A. & Vasseur, G. 1987. A 3-D kinematic model of fabric development in polycrystalline aggregates: comparisons with experimental and natural examples. J STRUCT GEOL 9, 705–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gapais, D. & Barbarin, B. 1986. Quartz fabric transition in a cooling syntectonic granite (Hermitage Massif, France). TECTONOPHYSICS 125, 357–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Godin, P. D. & Paterson, S. R. 1991. Re-evaluation of a blistering pluton: post-emplacement regional deformation at the Cretaceous Papoose Flat Pluton, White-Inyo Mountains, California. GEOL SOC AM ABSTR 23(2), A29.Google Scholar
Guineberteau, B., Bouchez, J.-L. & Vignneresse, J.-L. 1987. The Mortagne granite pluton (France) emplaced by pull-apart along a shear zone: structural and gravimetric arguments, regional implication. BULL GEOL SOC AM 99, 763–70.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanmer, S. & Passchier, C. 1991. Shear-sense indicators: a review. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 90-17. Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and Services.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanson, R. B., Saleeby, J. B. & Fates, D. G. 1987. Age and tectonic setting of Mesozoic metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks, northern White Mountains, California. GEOLOGY 15, 1074–78.Google Scholar
Hibbard, M. J. 1987. Deformation of incompletely recrystallised magma systems: granite gneisses and their tectonic implications. J GEOL 95, 543–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hollister, L. & Crawford, M. L. 1986. Melt enhanced deformation: a major tectonic process. GEOLOGY 14, 558–61.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hutton, D. W. 1982. A tectonic model for the emplacement of the Main Donegal granite, NW Ireland. J GEOL SOC LONDON 139, 615–31.Google Scholar
Hutton, D. W. 1988a. Granite emplacement mechanisms and tectonic controls: inferences from deformation studies. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH EARTH SCI 79, 245–55.Google Scholar
Hutton, D. W. 1988b. Igneous emplacement in a shear zone termination: the biotite granite at Strontian, Scotland. BULL GEOL SOC AM 100, 779–94.Google Scholar
Jessell, M. W. 1988. Simulation of fabric development in recrystallizing aggregates—II: example model runs. J STRUCT GEOL 10, 779–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kistler, R. W., Bateman, P. C. & Branock, W. W. 1965. Isotopic ages of minerals from granitic rocks of the central Sierra Nevada and Inyo Mountains. BULL GEOL SOC AM 76, 155–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knipe, R. J. & Law, R. D. 1987. The influence of crystallographic orientation and grain boundary migration on microstructural and textural evolution in a S-C mylonite. TECTONOPHYSICS 135, 155–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Law, R. D. 1990. Crystalographic fabrics: a selective review of their applications to research in structural geology. In Knipe, R. J. & Rutter, E. H. (eds) Deformation mechanisms, rheology and tectonics. SPEC PUBL GEOL SOC LONDON 54, 335–52.Google Scholar
Law, R. D., Knipe, R. J. & Dayan, H. 1984. Strain path partitioning within thrust sheets: microstructural and petrofabric evidence from the Moine thrust zone at Loch Eriboll, northwest Scotland. J STRUCT GEOL 6, 477–97.Google Scholar
Law, R. D., Casey, M. & Knipe, R. J. 1986. Kinematic and tectonic significance of microstructures and crystallographic fabrics within quartz mylonites from the Assynt and Eriboll regions of the Moine thrust zone, NW Scotland. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH EARTH SCI 77, 99–123.Google Scholar
Law, R. D., Morgan, S. S. & Sylvester, A. G. 1990. Evidence for large scale shearing during emplacement of the Papoose Flat Pluton, California: a re-examination of the microstructures and crystallographic fabrics. GEOL SOC AM ABST 22(7), A183.Google Scholar
Lister, G. S. & Hobbs, B. E. 1980. The simulation of fabric development during plastic deformation: the effect of deformation history. J STRUCT GEOL 2, 355–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lister, G. S. & Snoke, A. 1984. S-C mylonites. J STRUCT GEOL 6, 617–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lister, G. S. & Williams, P. F. 1983. The partitioning of deformation in flowing rock masses. TECTONOPHYSICS 92, 1–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morgan, S. S., Law, R. D. & Sylvester, A. G. 1991. Strain-path partitioning during contact metamorphism and emplacement of the Papoose Flat pluton, eastern California. GEOL SOC AM ABSTR PROG 23(5), A175.Google Scholar
Nelson, C. A. 1962. Lower Cambrian-Precambrian succession, White Inyo Mountains, California. BULL GEOL SOC AM 73, 139–44.Google Scholar
Nelson, C. A. 1966. Geologic map of the Waucoba Mountain quadrangle, Inyo County, California. U.S. Geological Survey Quadrangle Map GQ-528, scale 1:62,500. Reston, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey.Google Scholar
Nelson, C. A. 1971. Geologic map of the Waucoba Spring quadrangle, Inyo County, California. U.S. Geological Survey Quadrangle Map GQ-921, scale 1:62,500. Reston, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey.Google Scholar
Nelson, C. A., Oertel, G., Christie, J. M. & Sylvester, A. G. 1977. Geologic map, structure sections and palinspastic map of the Papoose Flat pluton, Inyo Mountains, California. GEOL SOC AM MAP & CHART SERIES MC-20.Google Scholar
Paterson, S. R., Vernon, R. H. & Tobisch, O. T. 1989. A review of criteria for the identification of magmatic and tectonic foliations in granitoids. J STRUCT GEOL 11, 349–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paterson, S. R., Brudos, T., Fowler, K., Carlson, C., Bishop, K. & Vernon, R. H. 1991a. Papoose Flat Pluton: forceful expansion or postemplacement deformation. GEOLOGY 19, 324–7.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paterson, S. R., Vernon, R. H. & Fowler, T. K. 1991b. Aureole tectonics. REV MINERAL 26, 673–722.Google Scholar
Paterson, S. R. & Tobisch, O. T. 1988. Using pluton ages to date regional deformations: problems with recently used criteria. GEOLOGY 16, 1108–11.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Price, G. P. 1985. Preferred orientations in quartzites. In Wenk, H.-R. (ed.) Preferred orientations in deformed deformed metals and rocks: an introduction to modern texture analysis, 385–406. Orlando: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ramsay, J. G. 1989. Emplacement kinematics of a granite diapir: the Chindamora batholith, Zimbabwe. J STRUCT GEOL 11, 191–209.Google Scholar
Rice, J. M. 1977. Contact metamorphism of impure dolomite limestone in the Boulder aureole, Montana. CONTRIB MINERAL PETROL 59, 237–59.Google Scholar
Ross, D. C. 1965. Geology of the Independence quadrangle, Inyo County, California. BULL US GEOL SURV 1181–0, 64.Google Scholar
Ross, D. C. 1967a. Geologic map of the Waucoba Wash quadrangle, Inyo County, California. U.S. Geological Survey, Geological Quadrangle Map GQ-612, scale 1:62,500.Google Scholar
Ross, D. C. 1967b. Generalised map of the Inyo Mountains region. U.S. Geological Investigations Map 1-506, scale 1:125,000.Google Scholar
Ross, D. C. 1969. Description petrography of three large granitic bodies in the Inyo Mountains, California. U.S. Geological Survey, Professional Paper 601, 47p.Google Scholar
Schmid, S. M., Panozzo, R. & Bauer, S. 1987. Simple shear experiments on calcite rocks: rheology and microfabric. J STRUCT GEOL 9, 747–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmid, S. M. & Casey, M. 1986. Complete fabric analysis of some commonly observed quartz c-axis patterns. In Heard, H. C. & Hobbs, B. E. (eds) Mineral and Rock Deformation: Laboratory Studies, the Paterson Volume. AM GEOPHYS UNION, GEOPHYS MONOGR 36, 263–86.Google Scholar
Simpson, C. 1986. Determination of movement sense in mylonites. J GEOL EDUC 34, 246–61.Google Scholar
Simpson, C. & Schmid, S. M. 1983. An evaluation of criteria to deduce the sense of movement in sheared rocks. BULL GEOL SOC AM 94, 1281–8.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Starkey, J. 1989. Microcomputer Workshop: Quantitative Petrofabric Analysis, 9th Annual Meeting, Structural Geology & Tectonics Division, Geological Association of Canada, London, Ontario, Canada.Google Scholar
Sylvester, A. G. 1966. Structural and metamorphic petrology of the contact aureole of the Papoose Flat Pluton, Inyo Mountains, California. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of California at Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Sylvester, A. G. 1969. A Microfabric study of calcite, dolomite and quartz around the Papoose Flat Pluton, California. BULL GEOL SOC AM 80, 1311–28.Google Scholar
Sylvester, A. G., Oertel, G., Nelson, C. A. & Christie, J. M. 1978. Papoose Flat pluton: a granitic blister in the Inyo Mountains, California. BULL GEOL SOC AM 89, 1205–19.Google Scholar
Sylvester, A. G. & Babcock, J. W. 1975. Significance of multiphase folding in the White-Inyo range, eastern California. GEOL SOC AM ABSTR PROG 7, 1289.Google Scholar
Sylvester, A. G. & Christie, J. M. 1968. The origin of crossed-girdle orientations of optic axes in deformed quartzites. J GEOL 76, 571–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tullis, J., Christie, J. M. & Griggs, D. T. 1973. Microstructures and preferred orientations of experimentally deformed quartzites. BULL GEOL SOC AM 84, 297–314.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Urai, J. L., Means, W. D. & Lister, G. S. 1986. Dynamic recrystallization of minerals. In Heard, H. C. & Hobbs, B. E. (eds) Mineral and rock deformation: laboratory studies, the Paterson Volume. AM GEOPHYS UNION, GEOPHYS MONOGR 36, 161–99.Google Scholar
Wenk, H.-R., Takeshita, T., Bechler, E., Erskine, B. G. & Matthies, S. 1987. Pure shear and simple shear calcite textures. Comparison of experimental, theoretical and natural data. J. STRUCT GEOL 9, 731–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar