A presente dissertação apresenta uma investigação sobre a evolução tectono-metamórfica da Formação São Tomé, uma das unidades metassedimentares pertencente ao Grupo Rio Doce, no Orógeno Araçuaí. Essa unidade, de origem pelítica, ocorre em uma faixa com direção geral aproximadamente N-S, com vergência para NE, contrária ao cráton São Francisco neste setor do orógeno. Possui como litotipo principal quartzo-mica xisto, com proporções variadas de granada, estaurolita, sillimanita e plagioclásio. Duas fases deformacionais estão registradas através de uma foliação continua S1 do tipo clivagem de fratura e uma foliação S2 de clivagem de crenulação. As relações texturais indicam que parte das fases minerais se cristalizaram tanto durante o evento deformacional como em condições ausentes de tensão deviatórica, e registro de condições de pico metamórfico de 6 kbar e 650 °C. Os dados geocronológicos foram obtidos em monazita por meio de datações Th-UPb em microssonda eletrônica. Foram identificadas três populações distintas: (i) A população mais antiga de 641±32 Ma, 614±39 Ma e 607±47 Ma, a qual pode representar grãos detríticos de corpos ígneos, não mais aflorantes, relacionados a um possível estagio pré-colisional ou, tratar-se de monazitas metamórficas formadas em um primeiro evento térmico; (ii) População com idades intermediárias entre 560±32 Ma e 559±29 Ma, compatíveis com as idades do ápice metamórfico regional; (iii) População mais jovem de idades entre 501±28 Ma e 491±34 Ma, condizentes com a formação concomitante à geração dos corpos ígneos tardios. Ainda que não esteja esclarecido se essas idades estão relacionadas a eventos metamórficos distintos ou são reflexo da baixa taxa de resfriamento do orógeno, os três grupos de monazita com idades distintas estão bem estabelecidos. / The present dissertation presents an investigation on the tectono-metamorphic evolution of the São Tomé Formation, one of the metasedimentary units belonging to the Rio Doce Group, in the Araçuaí Orogen. This unit, of pelitic origin, occurs in a band with general direction approximately N-S, with vergence for NE, contrary to the São Francisco craton in this sector of the orogen. It has quartz-mica schist as main lithotype, with varying proportions of grarnet, staurolite, sillimanite and plagioclase. Two deformational phases are recorded through a continuous foliation S1 of the fracture cleavage type and a foliation S2 of crenulation cleavage. The textural relations indicate that part of the mineral phases crystallized both during the deformational event and in conditions absent of deviatore voltage, and record of metamorphic peak conditions of 6 kbar and 650 ° C. The geochronological data were obtained in monazite by means of Th-U-Pb dating in electron microprobe. Three distinct populations were identified: (i) The oldest population of 641 ± 32 Ma, 614 ± 39 Ma and 607 ± 47 Ma, which may represent detrital grains of igneous bodies, no longer outcrops, related to a possible pre- collisional or, being metamorphic monazites formed in a first thermal event; (ii) Populations with intermediate ages between 560 ± 32 Ma and 559 ± 29 Ma, compatible with regional metamorphic apex ages; (iii) Younger population between 501 ± 28 Ma and 491 ± 34 Ma, consistent with the formation concomitant with the generation of late igneous bodies. Although it is unclear whether these ages are related to distinct metamorphic events or are reflective of the low orogenic cooling rate, the three monazite groups of different ages are well established.

Les bassins sédimentaires se développent souvent le long des zones internes d'anciennes chaînes orogéniques. Nous considérons dans ce projet la Péninsule Malaise (Marge Ouest de la Sonde) comme un haut crustal séparant deux régions de croûte continentale étirée ; les bassins d'Andaman/Malacca du côté occidental et les bassins thaïlandais/malais à l'est. Plusieurs stades de rifting ont été documentés grâce à une intense exploration géophysique régionale. Cependant, la corrélation entre les bassins riftés en mer et le noyau continental terrestre est mal connue. Dans ce mémoire, nous explorons par la cartographie, de missions de terrain et les données sismiques, comment ces structures réactivent des hétérogénéités mésozoïques crustales préexistantes. Le noyau continental semble être relativement peu déformé après l'orogénèse triasique Indosinienne. L’épais méga-horst crustal est bordé par des zones de cisaillement complexes (zones de failles de Ranong, Klong Marui et du Batholithe du Main Range) initiées au Crétacé Supérieur/Paléogène inférieur lors d’une déformation transpressive d’échelle crustale et plus tard réactivées à la fin du Paléogène. L'extension est localisée sur les bords de cette épine dorsale crustale le long d'une bande où la précédente déformation crétacée supérieure est bien exprimée. À l'ouest, le plateau continental est aminci en trois étapes principales qui correspondent à des blocs basculés d’échelle crustale bordés par de larges failles contre-régionales profondément enracinées (Bassin de Mergui). À l'est, des systèmes de rifts prononcés sont également présents, avec de grands blocs basculés (les bassins western Thai, de Songkhla et de Chumphon) qui pourraient représenter de grands boudins de croûte. Dans le domaine central, l'extension est limitée à de demi-grabens étroits isolés de direction N-S développés sur une croûte continentale épaisse, et contrôlés par failles normales pelliculaires, qui se développent souvent au contact entre les granitoïdes et l’encaissant. Les bords extérieurs des régions affectées par le boudinage crustal délimitent le bassin d'Andaman plus grand et profond à l'ouest et les bassins Malais et de Pattani à l'est. À une échelle régionale, les bassins riftés ressemblent à des structures en-échelon N-S le long de grandes bandes de cisaillement de NW-SE. Le rifting est accommodé par de larges failles normales à faible pendage (LANF : Low Angle Normal Faults) réactivant les morpho-structures de la croûte telles que de larges plis et batholithes mésozoïques. Les bassins profonds d'Andaman, Malais et de Pattani semblent situés sur une croûte à rhéologie plus faible qui pourrait être héritée des blocs continentaux dérivés du Gondwana (Birmanie, Sibumasu, et Indochine). L'ensemble des long bassins étroits au coeur de la région (bassins de Khien SA, de Krabi, et du Malacca) apparaissent avoir souffert de relativement peu d'extension. Ce travail montre que le cœur de l’orogène Crétacé supérieure est faiblement réactivé avec seulement quelques traces d’un étirement précoce par rapport aux bords qui sont sujets à un amincissement crustal en larges blocs basculés. A mesure que la déformation augmente, le rifting migre et se localise vers les zones externes et sa géométrie apparait plus « molle » suggérant un mécanisme influencé par la thermique. La coexistence de ces deux géométries au sein d’un même cycle de rifting fait de la marge Ouest de la sonde un cas d’étude édifiant. / Sedimentary basins often develop above internal zones of former orogenic belts. We hereafter consider the Malay Peninsula (Western Sunda) as a crustal high separating two regions of stretched continental crust; the Andaman/Malacca basins in the western side and the Thai/Malay basins in the east. Several stages of rifting have been documented thanks to extensive geophysical exploration. However, little is known on the correlation between offshore rifted basins and the onshore continental core. In this paper, we explore through mapping and seismic data, how these structures reactivate pre-existing Mesozoic basement heterogeneities. The continental core appears to be relatively undeformed after the Triassic Indosinian orogeny. The thick crustal mega-horst is bounded by complex shear zones (Ranong, Klong Marui and Main Range Batholith Fault Zones) inititiated during the Late Cretaceous/Early Paleogene during a thick-skin transpressional deformation and later reactivated in the Late Paleogene. The extension is localized on the sides of this crustal backbone along a strip where earlier Late Cretaceous deformation is well expressed. To the west, the continental shelf is underlain by three major crustal steps which correspond to wide crustal-scale tilted blocks bounded by deep rooted counter regional normal faults (Mergui Basin). To the east, some pronounced rift systems are also present, with large tilted blocks (Western Thai, Songkhla and Chumphon basins) which may reflect large crustal boudins. In the central domain, the extension is limited to isolated narrow N-S half grabens developed on a thick continental crust, controlled by shallow rooted normal faults, which develop often at the contact between granitoids and the host-rocks. The outer limits of the areas affected by the crustal boudinage mark the boundary toward the large and deeper Andaman basin in the west and the Malay and Pattani basins in the east. At a regional scale, the rifted basins resemble N-S en-echelon structures along large NW-SE shear bands. The rifting is accommodated by large low angle normal faults (LANF) running along crustal morphostructures such as broad folds and Mesozoic batholiths. The deep Andaman, Malay and Pattani basins seem to sit on weaker crust inherited from Gondwana-derived continental blocks (Burma, Sibumasu, and Indochina). The set of narrow elongated basins in the core of the Region (Khien Sa, Krabi, and Malacca basins) suffered from a relatively lesser extension. This work shows that the core of the late Cretaceous Orogeny is weakly reactivated during the subsequent rifting with only few evidences of stretching whereas its sides are thinned with large tilted blocks. The rifting migrates and localizes on the external regions and its geometry appears more ductile suggesting the influence of a thermal activity in the process. The coexistence of both geometries in a single rifting cycle makes the western margin of Sundaland an enlightening example.

The role of feedback between erosional unloading and tectonics controlling the development of the Himalaya is a matter of current debate. The distribution of precipitation is thought to control surface erosion, which in turn results in tectonic exhumation as an isostatic compensation process. Alternatively, subsurface structures can have significant influence in the evolution of this actively growing orogen. <br><br>Along the southern Himalayan front new 40Ar/39Ar white mica and apatite fission track (AFT) thermochronologic data provide the opportunity to determine the history of rock-uplift and exhumation paths along an approximately 120-km-wide NE-SW transect spanning the greater Sutlej region of the northwest Himalaya, India. 40Ar/39Ar data indicate, consistent with earlier studies that first the High Himalayan Crystalline, and subsequently the Lesser Himalayan Crystalline nappes were exhumed rapidly during Miocene time, while the deformation front propagated to the south. In contrast, new AFT data delineate synchronous exhumation of an elliptically shaped, NE-SW-oriented ~80 x 40 km region spanning both crystalline nappes during Pliocene-Quaternary time. The AFT ages correlate with elevation, but show within the resolution of the method no spatial relationship to preexisting major tectonic structures, such as the Main Central Thrust or the Southern Tibetan Fault System. Assuming constant exhumation rates and geothermal gradient, the rocks of two age vs. elevation transects were exhumed at ~1.4 &#177;0.2 and ~1.1 &#177;0.4 mm/a with an average cooling rate of ~50-60 &#176;C/Ma during Pliocene-Quaternary time. The locus of pronounced exhumation defined by the AFT data coincides with a region of enhanced precipitation, high discharge, and sediment flux rates under present conditions. We therefore hypothesize that the distribution of AFT cooling ages might reflect the efficiency of surface processes and fluvial erosion, and thus demonstrate the influence of erosion in localizing rock-uplift and exhumation along southern Himalayan front, rather than encompassing the entire orogen.<br><br>Despite a possible feedback between erosion and exhumation along the southern Himalayan front, we observe tectonically driven, crustal exhumation within the arid region behind the orographic barrier of the High Himalaya, which might be related to and driven by internal plateau forces. Several metamorphic-igneous gneiss dome complexes have been exhumed between the High Himalaya to the south and Indus-Tsangpo suture zone to the north since the onset of Indian-Eurasian collision ~50 Ma ago. Although the overall tectonic setting is characterized by convergence the exhumation of these domes is accommodated by extensional fault systems.<br><br>Along the Indian-Tibetan border the poorly described Leo Pargil metamorphic-igneous gneiss dome (31-34&#176;N/77-78&#176;E) is located within the Tethyan Himalaya. New field mapping, structural, and geochronologic data document that the western flank of the Leo Pargil dome was formed by extension along temporally linked normal fault systems. Motion on a major detachment system, referred to as the Leo Pargil detachment zone (LPDZ) has led to the juxtaposition of low-grade metamorphic, sedimentary rocks in the hanging wall and high-grade metamorphic gneisses in the footwall. However, the distribution of new 40Ar/39Ar white mica data indicate a regional cooling event during middle Miocene time. New apatite fission track (AFT) data demonstrate that subsequently more of the footwall was extruded along the LPDZ in a brittle stage between 10 and 2 Ma with a minimum displacement of ~9 km. Additionally, AFT-data indicate a regional accelerated cooling and exhumation episode starting at ~4 Ma. <br><br>Thus, tectonic processes can affect the entire orogenic system, while potential feedbacks between erosion and tectonics appear to be limited to the windward sides of an orogenic systems. / Welche Rolle Wechselwirkungen zwischen der Verteilung des Niederschlags, Erosion und Tektonik während der Entwicklung des Himalayas über geologische Zeiträume gespielt haben bzw. heute spielen, ist umstritten. Dabei ist von besonderem Interesse, ob Erosion ausschliesslich in Folge tiefkrustaler Hebungsprozesse entsteht und gesteuert wird, oder ob Regionen besonders effektiver Erosion, bedingt durch isostatische Kompensation, die Lokation tektonischer Deformation innerhalb aktiver Orogene beeinflussen können. <br><br>Entlang der südlichen Himalayafront ermöglichen neue thermochronologische 40Ar/39Ar-Hellglimmer- und Apatite-Spaltspur-Alter die Bestimmung der Exhumationspfade entlang eines 120-km-langen NE-SW-gerichteten Profils, dass quer durch die gesamte Sutlej-Region des nordwestlichen, indischen Himalayas verläuft. Dabei deuten die 40Ar/39Ar-Daten in übereinstimmung mit früheren Studien darauf hin, dass zuerst das Kristallin des Hohen Himalayas und anschliessend, südwärts propagierend, das Kristallin des Niederen Himalayas während des Miozäns exhumiert worden ist. Im Gegensatz dazu weisen die neuen Apatit-Spaltspur-Alter auf eine gleichmässige und zeitgleiche Exhumation beider kristallinen Decken entlang des Sutlejflusses. Dieser 80x40 km weite Bereich formt einen elliptischen, nordost-südwest orientierten Sektor erhöhter Exhumationsraten während des Pliozäns und Quartärs. Innerhalb des Fehlerbereichs der Spaltspurmethode zeigen die Alter eine gute Korrelation mit der Höhe, zeigen aber gleichzeitig keine Abhängigkeit zu bedeutenden tektonischen Störungen, wie die "Main Central Thrust" oder dem "Southern Tibetan Fault System". Unter der vereinfachten Annahme konstanter Exhumationsraten deuten zwei verschiedene Höhenprofile auf Exhumationraten in der Grössenordnung von ~1,4 &#177;0,2 und ~1,1 &#177;0,4 mm/a bei einer durchschnittlichen Abkühlrate von ~50-60 &#176;C/m.y. während des Pliozäns bzw. Quartärs hin. Der anhand von Spaltspuraltern bestimmte Sektor verstärkter Exhumation korreliert mit dem Gebiet, das während des Holozäns hohen Niederschlags-, Erosion- bzw. Sedimenttransportraten ausgesetzt ist. Daher vermuten wir, dass die Verteilung von jungen Spaltspuraltern den regionalen Grad der Effiziens von Oberflächenprozessen und fluviatiler Erosion wiederspiegelt. Dies deutet auf einen Zusammenhang zwischen Erosion und der Lokalisierung von Hebung und Exhumation entlang der südlichen Front des Himalayas hin, und zeigt gleichzeitig, dass die Exhumation nicht einfach über die gesamte Front gleichmässig verteilt ist.<br><br>Trotz der Wechselwirkungen zwischen Exhumation und Erosion, die möglicherweise die Entwicklung der südlichen Himalayafront beeinflussen, beobachten wir auch tiefkrustale tektonische Exhumation in ariden Gebieten nördlich des Hohen Himalayas, die vermutlich im Zusammenhang mit plateauinternenen Deformationsprozessen steht. So haben sich zum Beispiel mehrere metaplutonische Gneissdomkomplexe zwischen dem Hohen Himalaya im Süden und der Indus-Tsangpo Suturzone im Norden seit der Indien-Asien Kollision vor ca. 50 Millionen Jahren entwickelt. Obwohl die Dome sich grossräumig in einem kommpressiven Spannungsfeld befinden, werden sie lokal entlang von Extensionsstrukturen exhumiert. Bis heute sind die Ursachen für die Entstehung dieser Prozesse umstritten.<br><br>Entlang der Indisch-Tibetischen Grenze erstreckt sich der fast vollkommen unbeschriebene Leo-Pargil-Gneissdomkomplex (31-34&#176;N/77-78&#176;E) innerhalb des Tethyschen Himalayas. Neue Geländekartierungen, strukturelle und geochronologische Daten der westliche Flanke des Leo Pargil Domes dokumentieren, dass dieser sich entlang zeitlich verbundener Abschiebungssysteme in einem extensionalen Regime entwickelt hat. Im Gelände wird der Dome von einem mächtigen Störungssystem begrenzt, die "Leo Pargil Detachment Zone" (LPDZ). Durch den tektonischen Versatz entlang der LPDZ liegen heute niedriggradig metamorphe Sedimentgesteine im Hangenden neben hochgradigen Gneisen in Liegenden. Unabhängig von der Probenlokation entlang des aufgeschlossenen Störungssystemes ergeben alle neuen 40Ar/39Ar-Hellglimmeralter um die 15 Ma und deuten auf ein regional wichtiges Abkühlungsereignis hin. Im Gegensatz dazu deuten die neuen Apatit-Spaltspuralter (AFT) auf eine kontinuierliche Exhumation der hochmetamorphen Einheiten im Liegenden der LPDZ unter sprödtektonischen Bedingungen zwischen 10 und 2 Ma hin, bei einem minimalen Versatz von ungefähr 9 km. Desweiteren deuten die Apatit-Spaltspur-Daten auf überregionale beschleunigte Abkülhlungs- bzw Exhumationsphase seit 4 Ma.<br><br>Daraus kann gefolgert werden, dass die tektonischen Prozesse die Entwicklung des gesamten Gebirges beflussen können, während potenzielle Wechselwirkungen zwischen Erosion und Tektonik auf die luvwärtigen Gebirgsflanken beschränkt zu bleiben scheinen.

The date for the formation of the Benton Uplift, Ouachita orogeny, is bracketed by Carboniferous synorogenic sediments deposited to the north and Late Pennsylvanian to Early Permian isotopic dates from the weakly metamorphosed rocks within the uplift. We address the largely unknown structural history between these two constraints by presenting an improved 3-dimensional kinematic model using better constrained retrodeformable sections. These new sections are based on all surface and subsurface data, new zircon fission track dates and thermal maturation data including new ‘crystallinity’ data to constrain the maximum burial depth. Concordant zircon fission track ages range from 307 ± 18.8 Ma to 333.4 ± 38.9 Ma or from the Late Devonian to Early Permian. Maximum ‘crystallinity’ of both illite and chlorite indicate these exposed rocks experienced a temperature of ~300°C across the eastern Benton Uplift. This temperature is consistent with reconstructed burial depths using cumulative stratigraphic thickness without having to call on structural thickening. Comparing coarse and fine clay fractions, computed temperature for the fine clay fraction is less by ~100°C than that of the coarse clay fraction. This difference is the same for all formations studied. This uniform difference in temperature may indicate cooling of the orogen as it deformed or more than one thermal event.

Die Spaltspuren-Datierung als wesentliche Methode aus dem Bereich der Niedrigtemperatur-Thermochronologie basiert auf der Zählung und Messung geätzter Spuren unter dem Mikroskop. Für eine akkurate Altersbestimmung ist daher das Verständnis der Ätzung von größter Bedeutung. Ein atomistisches Modell und eine Monte-Carlo Computersimulation erklären Ätzgruben-Formen und deren Größenwachstum. Thermochronologie wird in zwei Fallstudien angewendet: eine umfassende Studie über die tektonische Entwicklung Zentralamerikas seit dem Paläozoikum zeigt, wie Geo- und Thermochronologie, Strukturgeologie und Petrologie zusammenarbeiten können, um &amp;gt;400 Ma einer komplexen tektonischen Geschichte zu enträtseln. Eine thermochronologische Studie im Pamir, Tadschikistan betont vor allem die Möglichkeiten, die sich aus der Anwendung der Thermochronologie auf dem Gebiet der Geomorphologie und Neotektonik eröffnen.

Deformation and partial melting have long been recognized to occur together, but differentiating which actually occurred first has remained enigmatic. Prevailing theories suggest that partial melting typically occurs first, and deformation is localized into melt-rich areas because they are rheologically weak. However, evidence from three different areas, suggests the role of strain has been underestimated in localizing partial melting. The Wet Mountains of central Colorado provide evidence for synchronous partial melting and deformation, with each process enhancing the other. Throughout the Wet Mountains, deformation is concentrated in areas where melt producing reactions occurred, and melt appears to be localized along deformation-related features. Melt microstructures present within the Wet Mountains correlate well with crustal-scale plutons and magmatic bodies and provide a proxy for crustal-scale melt flow. Granitic gneisses from the Llano Uplift, central Texas, provide evidence for partial melting occurring within small-scale shear zones and surrounding country rocks, synchronously. In the field, shear zones appear to contain former melt, whereas the country rock does not provide macroscopic evidence for partial melting. However, detailed microstructural investigation of shear zones and country rocks indicates the same density of melt microstructures, in both rock types. Melt microstructures are important for understanding the full melting history of a rock and without detailed structural and petrographic analysis, erroneous conclusions may be reached. Granulite-facies migmatites of the Albany-Fraser Orogen, southwestern Australia, have undergone partial melting, synchronous with three phases of bidirectional extension. Four major groups of leucosomes, including: foliation-parallel, cross-cutting, boudin neck and jumbled channelway leucosomes and late pegmatites were analyzed via whole-rock geochemistry, and there is evidence for fluid-saturated and -undersaturated biotite- and amphibole-dehydration melting. Migmatites from these three locations contain pseudomorphs of melt along subgrain and grain boundaries, areas of high dislocation density, in quartz and plagioclase. For these rocks that involve multicomponent systems, the primary cause for preferential melting in high strain locations is enhanced diffusion rates along the subgrain boundary because of pipe diffusion or water associated with dislocations. / text

A presente dissertação apresenta uma investigação sobre a evolução tectono-metamórfica da Formação São Tomé, uma das unidades metassedimentares pertencente ao Grupo Rio Doce, no Orógeno Araçuaí. Essa unidade, de origem pelítica, ocorre em uma faixa com direção geral aproximadamente N-S, com vergência para NE, contrária ao cráton São Francisco neste setor do orógeno. Possui como litotipo principal quartzo-mica xisto, com proporções variadas de granada, estaurolita, sillimanita e plagioclásio. Duas fases deformacionais estão registradas através de uma foliação continua S1 do tipo clivagem de fratura e uma foliação S2 de clivagem de crenulação. As relações texturais indicam que parte das fases minerais se cristalizaram tanto durante o evento deformacional como em condições ausentes de tensão deviatórica, e registro de condições de pico metamórfico de 6 kbar e 650 °C. Os dados geocronológicos foram obtidos em monazita por meio de datações Th-UPb em microssonda eletrônica. Foram identificadas três populações distintas: (i) A população mais antiga de 641±32 Ma, 614±39 Ma e 607±47 Ma, a qual pode representar grãos detríticos de corpos ígneos, não mais aflorantes, relacionados a um possível estagio pré-colisional ou, tratar-se de monazitas metamórficas formadas em um primeiro evento térmico; (ii) População com idades intermediárias entre 560±32 Ma e 559±29 Ma, compatíveis com as idades do ápice metamórfico regional; (iii) População mais jovem de idades entre 501±28 Ma e 491±34 Ma, condizentes com a formação concomitante à geração dos corpos ígneos tardios. Ainda que não esteja esclarecido se essas idades estão relacionadas a eventos metamórficos distintos ou são reflexo da baixa taxa de resfriamento do orógeno, os três grupos de monazita com idades distintas estão bem estabelecidos. / The present dissertation presents an investigation on the tectono-metamorphic evolution of the São Tomé Formation, one of the metasedimentary units belonging to the Rio Doce Group, in the Araçuaí Orogen. This unit, of pelitic origin, occurs in a band with general direction approximately N-S, with vergence for NE, contrary to the São Francisco craton in this sector of the orogen. It has quartz-mica schist as main lithotype, with varying proportions of grarnet, staurolite, sillimanite and plagioclase. Two deformational phases are recorded through a continuous foliation S1 of the fracture cleavage type and a foliation S2 of crenulation cleavage. The textural relations indicate that part of the mineral phases crystallized both during the deformational event and in conditions absent of deviatore voltage, and record of metamorphic peak conditions of 6 kbar and 650 ° C. The geochronological data were obtained in monazite by means of Th-U-Pb dating in electron microprobe. Three distinct populations were identified: (i) The oldest population of 641 ± 32 Ma, 614 ± 39 Ma and 607 ± 47 Ma, which may represent detrital grains of igneous bodies, no longer outcrops, related to a possible pre- collisional or, being metamorphic monazites formed in a first thermal event; (ii) Populations with intermediate ages between 560 ± 32 Ma and 559 ± 29 Ma, compatible with regional metamorphic apex ages; (iii) Younger population between 501 ± 28 Ma and 491 ± 34 Ma, consistent with the formation concomitant with the generation of late igneous bodies. Although it is unclear whether these ages are related to distinct metamorphic events or are reflective of the low orogenic cooling rate, the three monazite groups of different ages are well established.

Les études couplant des observations provenant des marges passives actuelles et d’analogues fossiles ont permis de mieux appréhender les mécanismes d’extension de la lithosphère. Néanmoins, l’évolution spatiale et temporelle des processus de rupture continentale et de formation de croûte océanique reste mal contrainte. Le Golfe de Gascogne et les Pyrénées sont utilisés dans ce travail comme laboratoire naturel pour étudier la formation et la réactivation des systèmes de rift. Le développement et l’application d’une approche terre-mer a permis d’identifier, caractériser et cartographier les domaines de rift formés lors de l’ouverture du Golfe de Gascogne et partiellement intégrés à l’orogène Pyrénéenne. Cette cartographie révèle l’architecture complexe de la limite de plaque Ibérie-Europe résultant d’une évolution fortement polyphasée. Plusieurs systèmes de rift spatialement distincts sont préservés à des stades d’évolution différents. Une segmentation importante partiellement héritée de la structuration prérift contrôle la formation des systèmes de rift ce qui a des implications pour la cinématique régionale. Plusieurs étapes de la déformation compressive ont pu être distinguées et mises en relation avec l’architecture héritée du rift. La réactivation est initiée dans le domaine de manteau exhumé. Après lasubduction de croûte hyper-amincie, la collision continentale est contrôlée par les domaines proximaux et de necking qui jouent le rôle de buttoirs. Ces résultats soulignent l’interaction étroite entre l’héritage pré-rift et l’évolution spatiale des systèmes de rift ainsi que l’importance de l’architecture du rift pour comprendre la formation des orogènes. / Knowledge on lithosphere extensional mechanisms has greatly benefited from studies made both at presentday rifted margins and onshore fossil analogues. Nevertheless, the spatial and temporal evolution of the processes leading to continental break-up and oceanic crust formation remains poorly constrained. The Bay of Biscay and Pyrenees is used in this study as a natural laboratory to investigate the formation and reactivation of rift systems. A new offshore-onshore approach is developed and applied to identify, characterize and map the rift domains inherited from the Bay of Biscay opening and partly integrated into the Pyrenean orogen. This mapping reveals the complex architecture of European-Iberian plate boundary resulting from a strongly polyphased evolution. Several rift systems spatially distinct are preserved at different evolutionary stages. An important segmentation partially inherited from the pre-rift structuration controls the formation of the rift systems, an observation that has important implications for regional kinematic restorations. Several steps in compressional deformation can be distinguished and related to the rift inherited architecture. Reactivation is initiated in the exhumed mantle domain. Following the subduction of hyperthinned crust, continental collision processes are controlled by the proximal and necking domains acting as buttresses. These results emphasize the role of pre-rift inheritance for the spatial evolution of rift systems and the importance of the rift-related architecture to unravel the formation of collisional orogen.

Die Spaltspuren-Datierung als wesentliche Methode aus dem Bereich der Niedrigtemperatur-Thermochronologie basiert auf der Zählung und Messung geätzter Spuren unter dem Mikroskop. Für eine akkurate Altersbestimmung ist daher das Verständnis der Ätzung von größter Bedeutung. Ein atomistisches Modell und eine Monte-Carlo Computersimulation erklären Ätzgruben-Formen und deren Größenwachstum. Thermochronologie wird in zwei Fallstudien angewendet: eine umfassende Studie über die tektonische Entwicklung Zentralamerikas seit dem Paläozoikum zeigt, wie Geo- und Thermochronologie, Strukturgeologie und Petrologie zusammenarbeiten können, um &amp;gt;400 Ma einer komplexen tektonischen Geschichte zu enträtseln. Eine thermochronologische Studie im Pamir, Tadschikistan betont vor allem die Möglichkeiten, die sich aus der Anwendung der Thermochronologie auf dem Gebiet der Geomorphologie und Neotektonik eröffnen.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT The Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous kinematic evolution of the Teplá-Barrandian/Moldanubian boundary The Staré Sedlo complex (SSC) is a relic of meta-igneous arc-related pluton in the southern part of the Sedlčany-Krásná Hora roof pendant, intruded by granitoids of the Central Bohemian Plutonic Complex along the boundary of Teplá-Barrandian (TBU) and Moldanubian units (MU), Bohemian Massif. The SSC mainly comprises deformed orthogneisses of calc-alkaline granodiorite to tonalite protoliths of Late Devonian age (380−365 Ma; Košler et al., 1993) that were commonly mingled with minor basic magmas. Locally preserved subhorizontal intrusive contacts of the orthogneisses against their meta-sedimentary host rock indicate that these magmas intruded as a sill complex. The SSC preserves a rather unusual flat-lying subsolidus foliation (dip <40ř) associated with subhorizontal ~NE-SW-trending mineral lineation. Mesoscopic structures, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), and deformational microstructures indicate prolate shape of the strain ellipsoid with dominant coaxial pure shear regime. The solid state microstructures record cooling of the orthogneiss protolith down to the ambient greenschist facies conditions followed by its static recrystallization due to the intrusion of the younger...