Garnet microstructures suggest ultra-fast decompression of ultrahigh-pressure rocks
Abstract Plate tectonics is a key driver of many natural phenomena occurring on Earth, such as mountain building, climate evolution and natural disasters. How plate tectonics has evolved through time is still one of the fundamental questions in Earth sciences. Natural microstructures observed in exh...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41310-w |
| _version_ | 1797414650109755392 |
|---|---|
| author | Cindy Luisier Lucie Tajčmanová Philippe Yamato Thibault Duretz |
| author_facet | Cindy Luisier Lucie Tajčmanová Philippe Yamato Thibault Duretz |
| author_sort | Cindy Luisier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Plate tectonics is a key driver of many natural phenomena occurring on Earth, such as mountain building, climate evolution and natural disasters. How plate tectonics has evolved through time is still one of the fundamental questions in Earth sciences. Natural microstructures observed in exhumed ultrahigh-pressure rocks formed during continental collision provide crucial insights into tectonic processes in the Earth’s interior. Here, we show that radial cracks around SiO2 inclusions in ultrahigh-pressure garnets are caused by ultrafast decompression. Decompression rates of at least 8 GPa/Myr are inferred independently of current petrochronological estimates by using thermo-mechanical numerical modeling. Our results question the traditional interpretation of fast and significant vertical displacement of ultrahigh-pressure tectonic units during exhumation. Instead, we propose that such substantial decompression rates are related to abrupt changes in the stress state of the lithosphere independently of the spatial displacement. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:36:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-46d6ac4f066f4f7cb76c39b9288212f5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:36:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-46d6ac4f066f4f7cb76c39b9288212f52023-12-03T12:28:27ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232023-09-011411810.1038/s41467-023-41310-wGarnet microstructures suggest ultra-fast decompression of ultrahigh-pressure rocksCindy Luisier0Lucie Tajčmanová1Philippe Yamato2Thibault Duretz3Institute of Geosciences, Goethe University FrankfurtInstitute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg UniversityInstitute of Geosciences, Goethe University FrankfurtInstitute of Geosciences, Goethe University FrankfurtAbstract Plate tectonics is a key driver of many natural phenomena occurring on Earth, such as mountain building, climate evolution and natural disasters. How plate tectonics has evolved through time is still one of the fundamental questions in Earth sciences. Natural microstructures observed in exhumed ultrahigh-pressure rocks formed during continental collision provide crucial insights into tectonic processes in the Earth’s interior. Here, we show that radial cracks around SiO2 inclusions in ultrahigh-pressure garnets are caused by ultrafast decompression. Decompression rates of at least 8 GPa/Myr are inferred independently of current petrochronological estimates by using thermo-mechanical numerical modeling. Our results question the traditional interpretation of fast and significant vertical displacement of ultrahigh-pressure tectonic units during exhumation. Instead, we propose that such substantial decompression rates are related to abrupt changes in the stress state of the lithosphere independently of the spatial displacement.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41310-w |
| spellingShingle | Cindy Luisier Lucie Tajčmanová Philippe Yamato Thibault Duretz Garnet microstructures suggest ultra-fast decompression of ultrahigh-pressure rocks Nature Communications |
| title | Garnet microstructures suggest ultra-fast decompression of ultrahigh-pressure rocks |
| title_full | Garnet microstructures suggest ultra-fast decompression of ultrahigh-pressure rocks |
| title_fullStr | Garnet microstructures suggest ultra-fast decompression of ultrahigh-pressure rocks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Garnet microstructures suggest ultra-fast decompression of ultrahigh-pressure rocks |
| title_short | Garnet microstructures suggest ultra-fast decompression of ultrahigh-pressure rocks |
| title_sort | garnet microstructures suggest ultra fast decompression of ultrahigh pressure rocks |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41310-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cindyluisier garnetmicrostructuressuggestultrafastdecompressionofultrahighpressurerocks AT lucietajcmanova garnetmicrostructuressuggestultrafastdecompressionofultrahighpressurerocks AT philippeyamato garnetmicrostructuressuggestultrafastdecompressionofultrahighpressurerocks AT thibaultduretz garnetmicrostructuressuggestultrafastdecompressionofultrahighpressurerocks |