Inputs of the major element potassium into the ocean from rivers and on-axis high temperature hydrothermal systems have likely varied on geological timescales. Variable uptake of potassium into lavas altered in low-temperature, off-axis, hydrothermal systems could keep the potassium concentration in seawater within the narrow range (~9.5 to 11 mmol L-1) observed in the Phanerozoic. To test this hypothesis a better understanding of the timing of alteration, and of the role of changing environmental conditions on seawater/basalt reactions is required. The age of 69 samples of the secondary, potassium-rich, phyllosilicate mineral celadonite from lavas in the Troodos ophiolite were determined using Rb-Sr radiometric dating to test whether potassium uptake occurs within a specific time interval. Measurements used tandem quadrupole ICP-MS/MS. Combined with published radiometric ages the dataset revealed regional differences in the duration of celadonite formation in the Troodos ophiolite lavas. In one area, where significant hydrothermal sediments were deposited on the lavas, celadonite formed as much as ~40 Myr after the crust accreted, whereas in an area with rare hydrothermal sediments celadonite formation was largely limited to the first ~20 Myr after crustal accretion. These differences in duration of celadonite formation in the upper oceanic crust are interpreted as reflecting differences in distribution of hydrothermal sediments that act as a source of labile Fe that is needed for celadonite formation. To test if there are significant variations of duration and timing of celadonite formation on various scales in the upper oceanic crust I measured the first in-situ Rb-Sr ages of celadonite in lavas from DSDP and ODP drill cores. These ages show that ~80% of celadonite formed from pervasive fluid flow within the first ~20 Myr after the oceanic crust accreted. All celadonite ages roughly correlate with the cumulative heat flow removed from the oceanic lithosphere in the same time interval. In combination the >100 new celadonite ages presented here provide strong evidence that most celadonite forms in the first ~20 Myr after crustal accretion and environmental conditions could be significant in controlling potassium uptake. To determine whether the potassium sink from seawater into altered seafloor lavas varied over time I compile a dataset of the potassium content of lavas from DSDP and ODP drill cores (0 to 180 Myr age range). Estimates of the average potassium content of individual holes reveal that this varies with age. However, holes of similar age show a similar magnitude of variability to that which occurs over this time. To investigate the source of the variability of potassium in altered lavas I modelled the effects of bottom seawater temperature and pH using PHREEQC. The models indicate that if the fluid is in equilibrium with K-feldspar, Na-beidellite and calcite, an increase in bottom seawater temperature and/or decrease in pH would lead to the potassium concentration in the off-axis fluid to increase significantly. This emphasizes the need for future studies to investigate feedback mechanisms between low-temperature hydrothermal alteration in response to changing environmental conditions. / Graduate / 2022-07-12

The North Atlantic Caledonides are a continent-continent collision type orogeny found in WesternScandinavia, Svalbard, Greenland and the British Isles. They are thought to have formed as a result of a complex history consisting of repeated ocean opening and closure. The tectonostratigraphy of the Scandinavian Caledonides consists of four allochthons that overlay the crystalline, autochthonous basement. The allochthons are thought to have been transported hundreds of kilometers eastward during the Scandian collision.To investigate the complex history of the Scandinavian Caledonides, a scientific drilling initiative called the Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides (COSC) project began in 2014. The first phase of the project was to drill a borehole to approximately 2500m depth, to sample a thick section of the Lower Seve Nappe of the Middle Allochthon, as well as the underlying thrust zone.The current hypothesis is that the Middle Seve Nappe has been juxtaposed with the Lower Seve Nappe while still in the subduction channel. Both Seve nappes were emplaced onto the underlying units somewhat later. To test this hypothesis, Rb-Sr dating and Ar-Ar dating has been conducted on white and dark mica found in samples taken from the shear zones. Rb-Sr dating yielded an age of 413 ± 12 Ma and Ar-Ar dating yielded an average age of 424.1± 2.9 Ma. Since the Rb-Sr and Ar-Ar ages overlap, it is interpreted that the crystallization age of the samples is recorded in both cases. Likely, the rocks cooled rather quickly, resulting in a negligible difference in Rb-Sr and Ar-Ar ages. Comparing these results to previous age dating work completed in the same area illustrate a complex subduction/exhumation history. At c. 455 Ma, the Middle and Lower Seve nappes were subducted beneath an island arc and peak pressure metamorphic conditions were reached. Shortly afterwards,exhumation of the subducted sheet began, as a result of the buoyancy of the subducted crust, as well as tectonic under pressure caused by wedge extraction. At c. 424 Ma, the Middle Seve was juxtaposed over the Lower Seve while still in the subduction channel, and at c. 424 - 421.2 Ma both the Middle and Lower Seve nappes were exhumed and transported eastward, where they were thrust above the underlying Särv Nappe and Lower Allochthon, creating the lower shear zone which is the focus of this study. Data from this study will help to establish a coherent model of mid-Palaeozoic mountain building, and provide insight on how this mountain chain, as well as its Himalaya-Tibet analogue have formed. / Den kaledoniska bergskedjan är en kontinent-kontinent kollison orogenes som återfinns i västra Skandinavien, Svalbard, Grönland och på de brittiska öarna. Bergskedjan har formats som ett resultat av en komplicerad historia av repeterad öppning och stängning av Iapetushavet. Skandinaviska kaledoniderna består av fyra allochthoner som täcker urberggrunden. Allochthonerna tros ha blivit transporterade hundratals kilometer i östlig riktning under den Skandiska kollisionen.För att kunna utreda den komplicerade historia som de skandinaviska Kaledoniderna har så har ett borrningsprojekt tagits fram under år 2014 med namnet “Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides” (COSC). Det första skedet i projektet var att borra ett 2500 meter djupt borrhål för att ta prover från den undre Seveskollan som belägen i den mellersta allochthonen, samt den underliggande överskjutningszonen.Hypotesen är att den mellersta Seveskollan har placerats intill den undre Seveskollan då de befann sig i en subduktionskanal. Både mellersta och undre Seveskollan har placerats uppepå den underliggande bergsenheten något senare. För att testa hypotesen har Rb-Sr och Ar-Ar datering utförts på prover med vitt glimmer som tagits från skjuvzonen. Kompositionskartor av vitt glimmer påvisar inga uppenbara tecken på zonation, vilket innebär att glimmerkornen nyligen bildats eller omkristalliserats under skjuvning. Rb-Sr dateringen gav en ålder på 413 ± 12 miljoner år och Ar-Ar dateringen gav en ålder på424.1 ± 2.9 miljoner år. Detta tolkas som åldern på de omkristalliserade glimmerkornen.Resultatet har jämförts med tidigare åldersdateringar i samma område och påvisar en komplicerad subduktionshistoria. För 460 miljoner år sedan subducerade mellersta och undre Seveskollan under en öbåge. För ungefär 440 miljoner år började upplyftandet av de subducerade skollorna som ett resultat av bärkraften av den subducerande jordskorpan, även av tektoniska rörelser orsakad av en kilutdragning. För 424 miljoner år sedan blev mellersta Seveskollan placerad ovanpå undre Seveskollan när de befann sig i subduktionskanalen. Slutligen, för cirka 415 miljoner år sedan blev både den mellersta och undre Seveskollan upplyfta och transporterade i östlig riktning där de skjuvade över den underliggande Särvskollan och den undre allochthonen.Data från denna studie kommer att bidra till skapandet av en följdriktig modell av den mitt-Paleozoiskabergskedjebildningen  och