Petrogenesis of orogenic peridotites and emplacement in the lower- and upper belt of the Seve Nappe Complex, Northern Sweden, Central Scandinavian Caledonides

Abstract

The Scandinavian Caledonides (Sweden and Norway) are characterized by the presence of orogenic peridotites. The Seve Nappe Complex (SNC) which consists of high grade middle belt (granulite/eclogite facies) bounded on both sides by the middle grade upper- and lower Seve belts (lower-middle amphibolite facies) are scattered with these orogenic peridotites. Recent research has shown that the middle belt peridotites belong to the Mantle Wedge Peridotites (MWP) subtype. For the upper and lower Seve belt this is unknown. This MSc thesis focuses on the origin and emplacement mechanism of the orogenic peridotites in the upper and lower Seve belt. Fieldwork in Jämtland (North Sweden) is done to collect samples of these peridotite bodies in the upper- and lower- Seve belts. EMP- and XRF-analyses are done on these collected samples providing data for modelling P-T-t paths using Perple_X. The upper Seve belt originated in the mantle wedge verlying the subduction zone, the lower Seve belt has a sub-cratonic origin. The upper Seve belt has undergone metasomatism during the Finnmarkian (~500 Ma.) and Jämtlandian (~454 Ma.), the lower Seve belt heated up as a response to a hyperextended margin causing the dynamic recrystallization of olivine during the breakk-up of Laurentia and Baltica (615-590 Ma.). During the Jämtlandian the orogenic peridotites of both belts were incorporated in the country rock as a result of shearing, during the same time peak metamorphic conditions are reached in the order of 600 C° and 0.5 GPa for the upper belt and 750 C° and 0.5 GPa for the lower belt. The latest metamorphic overprint is the Scandian (420-410 Ma.) in which a retrograde metamorphism (greenschist facies) is observed .