Estudos de proveniência em zircões detríticos através do método U-Th-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) dos metassedimentos do Complexo Metamórfico Porongos determinaram a existência de duas áreas-fontes principais de onde derivaram idades paleoproterozóicas e mesoproterozóicas para os xistos Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará e quartzo milonitos associados. Foram obtidas idades entre 967 ± 15 Ma e 2454 ±26 Ma para a seqüência Arroio Areião, entre 894 ± 30 Ma e 2783 ± 18 Ma para a seqüência Cerro Cambará, e idades entre 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma para os quartzo milonitos associados. A área fonte com idades paleoproterozóicas pode ser correlacionada ás rochas do Complexo Encantadas, que faz parte do embasamento das unidades supracrustrais. As áreas-fontes para os zircões mesoproterozóicos (entre 967 e 1621 Ma) não foram ainda reconhecidas no Cinturão Dom Feliciano. Estes zircões podem ser derivados de associações de rocha pertencentes aos cinturões mesoproterozóicos (orogêneses Elzeverian e Greenville), associados ao sistema geodinâmico que incluí os crátons Amazonas, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco e Laurencia e cinturões associados. O ambiente geotectônico de formação da paleobacia Porongos é compatível com a margem passiva, onde se estabeleceu um arco magmático. Este trabalho demonstra que do ponto de vista isotópico e estratigráfico, não existem diferenças significativas de idades detríticas entre as seqüências metassedimentares que afloram nos flancos da Antiforme de Santana da Boa Vista. / Provenance studies based upon detritic zircon grain U-Th-Pb methodology (LA-ICP-MS) from metasediments of Porongos Metamorphic Complex have determined the existence of two principal source-areas with paleoproterozoic and mesoproterozoic ages to the schists of Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará and associated quartz mylonites. Where obtained ages between 967 ± 15 Ma and 2454 ±26 Ma to the Arroio Areião sequence, between 894 ± 30 Ma and 2783 ± 18 Ma to Cerro Cambará sequence, and 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma to the associated quartz mylonites. The source-area with paleoproterozoic ages can be related to the Encantadas Complex rocks, which is basement of the supracrustal sequences. The source-areas to the mesoproterozoic zircons (between 967 and 1621 Ma) are not recognized in the Dom Feliciano Belt. These zircons can be related to mesoproterozoic petrotectonic associations (Greenville and Elzeverian orogens) associated to the geodynamic system that includes the Amazon, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco and Laurentia cratons, and associated belts. The tectonic environment of Porongos paleobasin it’s compatible with a passive margin, after where established a magmatic arc environment. This work shows that from isotopic and stratigraphyc point of view there is no significantly differences between the metasedimentary sequences cropping out in both Santana da Boa Vista antiform flanks.

O Complexo Jacurici, localizado no NE do Craton São Francisco, hospeda o maior depósito de cromita do Brasil. O Complexo é constituído de várias corpos N-S, possivelmente fragmentos de um único grande sill rompido durante deformação. A idade das rochas hospedeiras é assunto de debate. Alguns trabalhos sugerem que está intruso no Bloco Arqueano Serrinha enquanto outros acreditam que é parte do Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá. Mapeamento está em desenvolvimento pela CPRM e FERBASA. Entretanto, poucos dados geocronológicos estão disponíveis para a área específica onde as rochas máfica-ultramáficas afloram. O terreno é dividido em dois segmentos chamados informalmente de paragnaisses e ortognaisses, o último supostamente mais jovem considerando estar menos deformado. Os ortognaisses ocorrem na parte norte do cinturão. Petrografia revelou que alguns dos paragnaisses são álcali-feldspato granitos fortemente milonitizados. Estes afloram relacionadas às bordas da intrusão máfica-ultramáfica na área de Ipueira. Ainda, os ortognaisses consistem, ao menos em parte, de monzogranitos com deformação de baixa temperatura. Datações de zircão por LAM-MC-ICP-MS foram realizadas para cinco amostras consideradas representativas. Apenas três resultaram em boas idades Concordia: uma rocha máfica, um monzogranito e um álcali-feldspato granito. Uma rocha máfica supostamente do embasamento produziu uma idade de 2102±5Ma e é petrograficamente similar aos metanorites descritos no Complexo Jacurici. A rocha é interpretada como registro dos primeiros pulsos do magmatismo máfico. O monzogranito gerou uma idade de 2995±15Ma, sendo mais antigo do que o esperado, relacionado ao Bloco Serrinha. O álcali-feldspato granito produziu uma idade de 2081±3Ma. O Sienito Itiúba e os pegmatitos que cortam o Complexo Jacurici tem idades semelhantes. Isto mostra uma relação muito estreita entre todas estas rochas. Considerando a falta de informações sobre a seqüência supracrustal que hospeda as rochas alcalinas e máfica-ultramáficas intrusivas nas áreas de Ipueira e Medrado, é possível que parte do terreno pertença ao Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá. Sugerimos que o Complexo Jacurici possa ter sido intrudido após a colagem tectônica entre o Bloco Serrinha e a parte mais antiga do Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá e, portanto, poderia ser hospedado por ambos. / The Jacurici Complex, located in the NE of the São Francisco Craton, hosts the largest chromite deposit of Brazil. The Complex is constituted by several N-S bodies, possible fragments of a single larger sill disrupted during deformation. The age of the host rocks is still debatable. Some works suggest it is intruded on the Serrinha Archean Block while others believe it is part of the Salvador-Curaçá Belt. Mapping is under development by CPRM and FERBASA. Nevertheless, few geochronological data is available for the specific area where the mafic-ultramafic rocks outcrop. The terrain is broadly divided in two segments called informally as paragneisses and orthogneisses, the last is supposed to be younger considering it is less deformed. The othogneisses occur at the northern part of the belt. Petrography revealed that some of the believed paragneisses are actually an alkali feldspar granite strongly milonitized. It outcrops closely related to the borders of the mafic-ultramafic intrusion in the Ipueira area. Also, the orthogneisses consist, at least in part, of monzogranites with low temperature deformation. Zircon LAM-MC-ICP-MS dating were performed for five samples considered representative. Just three provided good Concordia ages: one mafic rock, one monzogranite and one alkali feldspar granite. A supposed basement mafic rock produced a 2102±5Ma age and is petrographyly similar to the metanorites described in the Jacurici Complex. The rock is interpreted as the record of the first pulses of mafic magmatism. A monzogranite yields a 2995±15Ma age, older than expected, related to the Serrinha Block. The alkali feldspar granite yields a 2081±3Ma age. The Itiúba Syenite, the Jacurici Complex and pegmatites that crosscut the Complex have similar ages. It shows a very close relationship between all these rocks. Considering the lack of information about the supracrustal sequence that hosts the intrusive alkaline and mafic-ultramafic rocks at the Ipueira and the Medrado areas, it is possible that part of the terrain belongs to the Salvador-Curaçá Belt. We suggest that the Jacurici Complex can be intruded after the tectonic amalgamation of the Serrinha Block and the older part of the Salvador-Curaçá Belt and, therefore, could be hosted by both terrains.

O Granito Chasqueiro aflora como campos de matacões e lajeados que em planta formam um corpo alongado segundo N50o E com área de aproximadamente 400 km2 localizada no sul da porção oriental do Escudo Sul-Rio-Grandense. Constitui-se de monzo a sienogranito, leucocrático de cor cinza-claro e textura porfirítica com megacristais de K-feldspatos em matriz equigranular, hipidiomórfica grossa, composta por quartzo, K-feldspato, plagioclásio, biotita, hornblenda, opacos (magnetita, hematita) e acessórios (zircão, titanita, apatita e alanita). Os megacristais atingem proporções modais entre 30 a 60 % e variam entre 4 e 8 cm que junto com os minerais máficos da matriz evidenciam uma foliação de fluxo magmático subvertical bem desenvolvida que transaciona lateralmente para uma foliação tectônica nos bordos do granito próximo as zonas de cisalhamento onde ocorrem extensas faixas marcadas por intensa deformação dúctil e geração de protomilonitos. O granito apresenta enclaves máficos microgranulares de composição diorítica apresentando diferentes formas e tamanhos. Geoquimicamente é caracterizado por um magmatismo subalcalino do tipo cálcio-alcalino alto potássio, metaluminoso a levemente peraluminoso, com assinatura característica de granitos gerados em ambiente póscolisional. Processos de fusão crustal, mistura de magmas e cristalização fracionada são sugeridos para a sua evolução. Análises geocronológicas obtidas pelo método UPb (LA-ICPMS) e geoquímica isotópica de Lu-Hf (LA-ICPMS) em zircões do granito indicaram, respectivamente, idade de cristalização 574 ± 3 Ma e valores negativos para εHf sugerindo assim uma relação do granito com o evento deformacional D2 e fontes magmáticas dominantemente crustais com participação de componente mantélico subordinado. / Chaqueiro Granite emerges as boulders fields and slabs that in plant form an elongated body at N50o E with an area of approximately 400 km2 located at the southernmost portion of the eastern Sul-Rio-Grandense Shield, RS. It consists of monzo the syenogranite, light gray and leucocratic porphyritic texture with megacrystals K-feldspar in a coarse equigranular hypidiomorphic matrix, composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, biotite, hornblende, opaque minerals and accessories. The modal megacrystals reach proportions between 30 and 60 % and range from 4 and 8 cm together with mafic minerals of the matrix showing a subvertical magmatic foliation and a tectonic foliation prominent in the borders marked by intense ductile deformation and protomylonite generation. Another important aspect of the Chasqueiro Granite is the presence of microgranular mafic enclaves of dioritic composition ubiquitous in the granite, having different shapes and sizes. Geochemically the granite is characterized as a slightly expanded acid sequence formed by a sub-alkaline magmatism of calc-alkaline type with high potassium, metaluminous to lightly peraluminous, with characteristic signature of granites generated in post-collisional tectonic setting. Geochronological analyzes obtained by the U-Pb method (LA-ICPMS) and isotope geochemistry of Lu-Hf (LA-ICPMS) in zircons presenting, respectively, crystallization age 574 ± 3 Ma and negative εHf which suggest a granite relationship with deformational event D2 and supporting a magmatic crustal sources with subordinate mantle component.

Estudos de proveniência em zircões detríticos através do método U-Th-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) dos metassedimentos do Complexo Metamórfico Porongos determinaram a existência de duas áreas-fontes principais de onde derivaram idades paleoproterozóicas e mesoproterozóicas para os xistos Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará e quartzo milonitos associados. Foram obtidas idades entre 967 ± 15 Ma e 2454 ±26 Ma para a seqüência Arroio Areião, entre 894 ± 30 Ma e 2783 ± 18 Ma para a seqüência Cerro Cambará, e idades entre 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma para os quartzo milonitos associados. A área fonte com idades paleoproterozóicas pode ser correlacionada ás rochas do Complexo Encantadas, que faz parte do embasamento das unidades supracrustrais. As áreas-fontes para os zircões mesoproterozóicos (entre 967 e 1621 Ma) não foram ainda reconhecidas no Cinturão Dom Feliciano. Estes zircões podem ser derivados de associações de rocha pertencentes aos cinturões mesoproterozóicos (orogêneses Elzeverian e Greenville), associados ao sistema geodinâmico que incluí os crátons Amazonas, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco e Laurencia e cinturões associados. O ambiente geotectônico de formação da paleobacia Porongos é compatível com a margem passiva, onde se estabeleceu um arco magmático. Este trabalho demonstra que do ponto de vista isotópico e estratigráfico, não existem diferenças significativas de idades detríticas entre as seqüências metassedimentares que afloram nos flancos da Antiforme de Santana da Boa Vista. / Provenance studies based upon detritic zircon grain U-Th-Pb methodology (LA-ICP-MS) from metasediments of Porongos Metamorphic Complex have determined the existence of two principal source-areas with paleoproterozoic and mesoproterozoic ages to the schists of Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará and associated quartz mylonites. Where obtained ages between 967 ± 15 Ma and 2454 ±26 Ma to the Arroio Areião sequence, between 894 ± 30 Ma and 2783 ± 18 Ma to Cerro Cambará sequence, and 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma to the associated quartz mylonites. The source-area with paleoproterozoic ages can be related to the Encantadas Complex rocks, which is basement of the supracrustal sequences. The source-areas to the mesoproterozoic zircons (between 967 and 1621 Ma) are not recognized in the Dom Feliciano Belt. These zircons can be related to mesoproterozoic petrotectonic associations (Greenville and Elzeverian orogens) associated to the geodynamic system that includes the Amazon, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco and Laurentia cratons, and associated belts. The tectonic environment of Porongos paleobasin it’s compatible with a passive margin, after where established a magmatic arc environment. This work shows that from isotopic and stratigraphyc point of view there is no significantly differences between the metasedimentary sequences cropping out in both Santana da Boa Vista antiform flanks.

A Faixa Araçuaí, localizada na porção setentrional da Província Mantiqueira, pode ser dividida em três domínios estruturais os quais estão envolvidos em um sistema de empurrões com vergência tanto oeste quanto para leste. A porção ocidental corresponde ao Domínio Milonítico constituido por gnaisses miloníticos de alta temperatura ~750ºC, o Domínio Central é caracterizado por intenso magmatismo tonalítico, granodiorítico e granítico de idade aproximada de 580 Ma e o setor oriental, denominado de Domínio Anatético, formado pelo Leucogranito Carlos Chagas (CC), um granito tipo S de idades compreendidas entre 572 ± 4 Ma a 597 ± 3 Ma. O Domínio Central, formado pelas Suítes Galiléia e Aimorés, são constituídas respectivamente pelos tonalitos São Vitor, e Galiléia e pelo Granito Caladão e o Charnockito Padre Paraíso. A Suíte Aimorés e a borda oeste do Leucogranito Carlos Chagas, constituem-se no foco desta dissertação, a qual teve por meta um estudo estrutural, baseado em Anisotropia de Suscetibilidade Magnética (ASM) e datações através dos métodos U/Pb em zircões e monazitas e Lu/Hf em zircões. Petrograficamente o Granito Caladão tem como característica uma textura porfirítica, com matriz de granulação grossa, composta por quartzo, feldspato, hornblenda e biotita, com cristais de feldspatos de 2 a 5 centímetros. O Charnockito Padre Paraíso é um hiperstênio granito, de cor esverdeada, de matriz de granulação grossa composta de quartzo, feldspato, hiperstênio, biotita e hornblenda, com cristais de feldspato de até 6 centímetros. O Leucogranito Carlos Chagas possui granulação media a grossa e apresenta em sua constituição, quartzo, feldspato, biotita sillimanita, cordierita e granada. Um granito tipo S. Os resultados da análise estrutural através da ASM apresentaram orientações variáveis da foliação magnética em setores distintos dos corpos magmáticos, compatível com a orientação espacial do plúton, indicando assim sua colocação, porém a orientações das lineações magnéticas sugerem uma direção predominantemente NNE-SSW, aventando um fluxo magmático nessa direção. Investigações sobre a mineralogia magnética através de curvas termomagnéticas evidenciaram ocorrências de óxidos de ferro, magnetita e hematita, tanto no Granito Caladão como no Charnockito Padre Paraíso. Os baixos valores de suscetibilidade magnética, da ordem de 10-4 a 10-5 SI sugerem que a ASM, para esses corpos ígneos, é controlada essencialmente pelos minerais paramagnéticos. Os elipsoides de ASM são dominantemente oblatos, caracterizando uma forte deformação por achatamento, apenas localmente foram identificados elipsoides prolato. As análises isotópicas forneceram idades de 500.7 ± 1.5 Ma a 512.1 ± 1.5 Ma (zircão) e 445.0 ± 9.5 Ma (monazita) para o Granito Caladão e de 498 ± 2.4 Ma a 502.7 ± 1.9 Ma (zircão) para o Charnockito Padre Paraíso. Idades obtidas como sendo mais antigas para o Granito Caladão e o Charnockito Padre Paraíso, respectivamente de 556.8 ± 3.7 Ma (zircão) e 576.0 ± 2.2 Ma (zircão) foram interpretadas como zircões herdados das rochas encaixantes quando do emplacement dos plutons. A idade de 570.1 ± 1.7 Ma para o CC na porção norte é compatível com as idades obtidas na literatura, entretanto na porção sul, as idades obtidas são da ordem de 510.8 ± 1.7 Ma e 520.5 ± 2.5 Ma para o CC, indicando pulsos magmáticos diacronicos. As determinações Lu/Hf revelaram valores de ?Hf negativos para todos os plutons estudados, mostrando que são provenientes de retrabalhamento crustal, de uma crosta arqueana e paleoproterozoica. / The Araçuaí Orogen corresponds the northern part of the Mantiqueira Province, which can be divided into three different structural domains. These areas are involved in thrust systems towards the west and east. The western part corresponds to the Mylonites Domain, constituted by high temperature mylonitic gneisses, the Central Domain is characterized by a huge tonalitic, granodioritic and granitic magmatism dated around 580 Ma, and, the eastern area, described as Anatexis Domain where the Carlos Chagas Leucogranite (CC) is the predominant lithology. The Galiléia Suite constituting by the St. Vitor and Galiléia tonalites, Aimorés Suites, by the Caladão Granite and the Padre Paraíso Charnockite, all theses suites belong to the Central Domain. The Aimorés Suite and the western border of the Carlos Chagas Leucogranite are the focus of this Master thesis, which the goals are a structural study based on Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) and a geochronological analysis using U/Pb in zircon and monazite and Lu/Hf in zircon methodologies. The petrographic analysis shows the Caladão Granite as porphyritic granite, with a thick granulation matrix composed of quartz, feldspar, hornblende and biotite. The feldspar crystals can reach 2 to 5 centimeters in size. The Padre Paraíso Charnockite is hypersthene granite; greenish-colored matrix with a coarse granulation composed of quartz, feldspar, hypersthene, biotite and hornblende, the feldspar crystals size can be bigger than 5 centimeters. The Carlos Chagas Leucogranite has medium to coarse granulation that is constituted by quartz, feldspar, biotite, sillimanite, cordierite and garnet, the mineralogy typical of type S granite. Structural analysis using the AMS showed variable magnetic foliation orientations in distinct sectors of the magmatic bodies, compatible with the spatial trend of the pluton, your emplacement, but the orientations of the magnetic lines suggest a predominantly NNE-SSW direction, suggesting a magmatic flow in this direction. Investigations on magnetic mineralogy through thermomagnetic curves showed evidence of iron magnetite and hematite oxides in both the Caladão Granite and the Padre Paraíso Charnockite. The low values of magnetic susceptibility, on the order of 10-4 to 10-5 SI, suggest that paramagnetic minerals essentially control the ASM for these igneous bodies. The AMS ellipsoids are predominantly oblate, characterizing a strong flattening deformation; only locally prolate ellipsoids have been identified. Isotopic analyzes performed at Caladão Granite provided ages ranging from 500.7 ± 1.5 Ma to 512.1 ± 1.5 Ma (zircon) and 445.0 ± 9.5 Ma (monazite), and zircon ages from 498 ± 2.4 Ma to 502.7 ± 1.9 Ma obtained in the Padre Paraíso Charnockite. Older zircon ages determined in the Caladão Granite and Padre Paraíso Charnockite are, respectively, 556.8 ± 3.7 Ma and 576.0 ± 2.2Ma, whose ages were interpreted as inherited zircons that were captured from the host rocks during the plutons emplacement. In the northern sector of the studied area, the CC age of 570.1 ± 1.7 Ma is compatible with the ages that were obtained in the literature, ranging from 572 ± 4 Ma to 597 ± 3 Ma, however in the south of the area some surprisingly younger ages (510.8 ± 1.7 Ma and 520.5 ± 2.5 Ma) in the CC, suggesting diachronic magmatic pulses. The Lu/Hf determinations revealed negative ?Hf values for all studied plutons, showing that they are derived from crustal reworking, from an Archaean and Paleoproterozoic crust. The most Hf model age are 2,0 Ga, however there are some Archean ages ranging from 3.0 to 3.8 Ga. The presence of highly negative values of -20 and -30 for the Caladão Granite are interpreted as largely crustal-derived melts.

In this article, we document a detailed analytical characterisation of zircon M127, a homogeneous 12.7 carat gemstone from Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. Zircon M127 has TIMS-determined mean U-Pb radiogenic isotopic ratios of 0.084743 +/- 0.000027 for Pb-206/U-238 and 0.67676 +/- 0.00023 for Pb-207/U-235 (weighted means, 2s uncertainties). Its Pb-206/U-238 age of 524.36 +/- 0.16 Ma (95% confidence uncertainty) is concordant within the uncertainties of decay constants. The delta O-18 value (determined by laser fluorination) is 8.26 +/- 0.06 parts per thousand VSMOW (2s), and the mean Hf-176/Hf-177 ratio (determined by solution ICP-MS) is 0.282396 +/- 0.000004 (2s). The SIMS-determined delta Li-7 value is -0.6 +/- 0.9 parts per thousand (2s), with a mean mass fraction of 1.0 +/- 0.1 mu g g(-1) Li (2s). Zircon M127 contains similar to 923 mu g g(-1) U. The moderate degree of radiation damage corresponds well with the time-integrated self-irradiation dose of 1.82 x 10(18) alpha events per gram. This observation, and the (U-Th)/He age of 426 +/- 7 Ma (2s), which is typical of unheated Sri Lankan zircon, enable us to exclude any thermal treatment. Zircon M127 is proposed as a reference material for the determination of zircon U-Pb ages by means of SIMS in combination with hafnium and stable isotope (oxygen and potentially also lithium) determination.

The St. Cyr klippe hosts well preserved to variably retrogressed eclogites found as sub-meter to hundreds of meter scale lenses within quartzofeldspathic schists in the Yukon-Tanana terrane, Canadian Cordillera. The St. Cyr area consists of structurally imbricated, polydeformed, and polymetamorphosed units of continental arc and oceanic crust. The eclogite-bearing quartzofeldspathic schists form a 30 by 6 kilometer thick, northwest-striking, coherent package. The schists consist of metasediments and felsic intrusives that are intercalated on the tens of meter scale. The presence of phengite and Permian age zircon crystallized under eclogite facies metamorphic conditions indicates that the eclogite was metamorphosed in situ with its quartzofeldspathic host. I investigated the metamorphic evolution of the eclogite-facies rocks in the St. Cyr klippe using isochemical phase equilibrium thermodynamic (pseudosection) modeling. I constructed P-T pseudosections in the system Na2O-K2O-CaO-FeO-O2-MnO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-TiO2-H2O for the bulk-rock composition of an eclogite and a host metatonalite. In combination with petrology and mineral compositions, St. Cyr eclogites followed a five-stage clockwise P-T path. Peak pressure conditions for the eclogites and metatonalites reached up to 3.2 GPa, well within the coesite stability field, indicating the eclogites reached ultrahigh-pressure conditions. Decompression during exhumation occurred with a corresponding temperature increase. SHRIMP-RG zircon dating shows that the protolith of the eclogites formed within the Yukon-Tanana terrane during early, continental arc activity, between 364 and 380 Ma, while the metatonalite protolith formed at approximately 334 Ma, during the Little Salmon Cycle of the Klinkit phase of Yukon-Tanana arc activity. Both the eclogites and the metatonalites were then subducted to mantle depths and metamorphosed to ultrahigh-pressure conditions during the late Permian, between 266 and 271 Ma. The results of our study suggest portions of the Yukon-Tanana terrane were subducted to high-pressure and ultrahigh-pressure conditions. This is the first report of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the accreted terranes of the North American Cordillera. Petrological, geochemical, geochronological, and structural relationships link the eclogites at St. Cyr to other eclogite localities in Yukon, indicating the high-pressure assemblages form a larger lithotectonic unit within the Yukon-Tanana terrane.

No description available.

The Arabian-Nubian Shield is an excellent natural laboratory to study crust formation processes during the Neoproterozoic. It is one of the largest juvenile tracts of continental crust formed during this time. It diachronously evolved between the breakup of Rodinia (c.780 Ma) and amalgamation of Gondwana (c.550 Ma). New SIMS zircon U-Pb, whole-rock Sm-Nd isotopic and geochemical data are presented. The results are used to establish the geochronology of the Abas terrane and constrain its crustal evolution. The U-Pb data show bimodal age distribution: an older age group c. 790-760 Ma, which corresponds to the arc-forming stage of the ANS and a younger group c. 625-590 Ma, belonging to post-collisional episode in the region. The oldest sample in the post-collisional tectonomagmatic group is slightly deformed indicating that pervasive deformation in the area was decaying by c. 625 Ma. The inherited zircons documented range in age from Meso-to-Paleoproterozoic. Although few, these inherited zircons indicate that crust material of that age was assimilated during the Neoproterozoic magmatic events. The U-Pb geochronologic also resolved the temporal transition from high-K calc-alkaline to alkaline magmatism in the post-collisional suits. This transition commonly marks the end of orogeny. Almost all samples studied exhibit a strongly enriched initial εNd compositions and Nd model ages that predate the crystallization ages of the rocks by several hundred million years. These features highlight the sharp contrast in the magmatic sources between the Abas granitoids and the rest of the ANS, which is dominantly juvenile except that of the Afif terrane of Saudi Arabia. This suggests that the Abas terrane of Yemen had a distinctive crustal evolution history compared to the rest of the shield and these features provide evidence for the presence of pre-Neoproterozoic crust at depth in this region.

abstract: Geochronology and thermochronology are valuable tools for investigating the synergy between the deformational and erosional processes that shape mountainous terrains. Though numerous techniques have been developed to probe the rate and timing of events within these settings, the research presented here explores how scientists can use fewer samples to produce richer data products with broader contextual importance. The beginning of this compilation focuses on establishing laboratory techniques to facilitate this goal. I developed a novel laser ablation ‘double dating’ (LADD) technique that rapidly yields paired U/Pb and (U-Th)/He dates for the accessory minerals zircon, titanite, and apatite. The technique obviates the need for geometric corrections typically applied during (U-Th)/He data reduction, enables the analysis of a broader spectrum of detrital crystals, and provides the opportunity for additional mapping and isotopic analyses that are traditionally challenging to procure and/or fraught with assumptions. Despite the technique’s promise, I also found it essential to weigh several considerations of relevance when attempting to date young (≤ Miocene) accessory minerals with low concentrations of U + Th. Consequently, I discuss the impact that such variables have on the magnitude of analytical imprecision and the data’s flexibility for geologic interpretation. Beyond the lab, I collected a suite of bedrock and detrital samples from small catchments draining the southeastern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Using the techniques described above as well as conventional methods for (U-Th)/He zircon dating, I compared the utility of both bedrock and detrital approaches for extrapolating local exhumation histories. I additionally tested the ability to employ detrital datasets to extrapolate cooling histories that span from mineral crystallization to rock exhumation through the upper crust. Employing principal mode dates from a combination of zircon and apatite LADD dates and detrital hornblende 40Ar/39Ar dates, I was able to derive thermal models that demonstrate the existence of significant variability in the cooling histories of various intrusive units along the eastern Sierra Nevada. While these results only scratch the surface of what’s possible within the realm of detrital-based research, this contribution demonstrates the utility of expanding the temporal and spatial scope of traditional detrital methodologies. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Geological Sciences 2019