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Blue Schist

This document discusses the discovery of blueschist-facies minerals in clasts from a serpentinite seamount in the Mariana subduction zone, strengthening the link between blueschists and subduction zones. The estimated metamorphic conditions indicate that these rocks formed at temperatures of 150-250°C and pressures of 5-6 kbar. The findings suggest that blueschist facies clasts are associated with forearc sediments and provide insights into the tectonics of trench-forearc systems.

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Pawan Kumar
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84 views1 page

Blue Schist

This document discusses the discovery of blueschist-facies minerals in clasts from a serpentinite seamount in the Mariana subduction zone, strengthening the link between blueschists and subduction zones. The estimated metamorphic conditions indicate that these rocks formed at temperatures of 150-250°C and pressures of 5-6 kbar. The findings suggest that blueschist facies clasts are associated with forearc sediments and provide insights into the tectonics of trench-forearc systems.

Uploaded by

Pawan Kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Blueschist metamorphism in an active subduction zone

Hirokazu Maekawa, Kobe University

The high-pressure, low-temperature metamorphic rocks known clasts obtained by dredging samples of high pressure rocks
as blueschists have long been considered to form in subduc- from the two serpentinite seamounts in the Izu-Ogasawara
tion zones, where the descent of a relatively cold slab leads to forearc, that is the Torishima forearc seamount [Maekawa, 1995]
the occurrence of unusually low temperatures at mantle and the Hahajima seamount [Hashimoto et al., in prep.].
pressures. Until now, however, the link between blueschist- Blueschist facies rocks are common in forearcs and drilling has
facies rocks and subduction zones has been indirect, relying on showed at least one way to get them to the surface by carrying
a spatial association of blueschists with old subduction them along in the serpentinite diapirs. Further study of these
complexes, and estimates of the geothermal gradients likely to rocks may provide new insight into the tectonics of trench-
exist in subduction zones. Here we strengthen this link, by forearc systems, and in particular, the processes by which
reporting the discovery of blueschist-facies minerals, lawsonite, blueschist facies clasts come to be associated with forearc
aragonite, sodic pyroxene, and blue amphibole (winchite), in sediments in ancient subduction complexes.
clasts from a serpentinite seamount in the forearc of the active
Mariana subduction zone during ODP Leg 125 [Maekawa et al., References:
Maekawa, H., M. Shozui, T. Ishii, P. Fryer, and J.A. Pearce, Blueschist metamor-
1993]. The metamorphic conditions estimated from the mineral phism in an active subduction zone, Nature, 364, 520-523, 1993.
compositions are 150-250°C and 5-6 kbar (16-20 km depth). Maekawa, H., Metamorphic rocks from serpentinite seamounts in the Mariana and
Izu-Bonin forearcs, In Tokuyama, H. [Link]. (eds.): Geology and Geophysics of the
The rocks must have been entrained in rising serpentinite Philippine Sea, Japan-Russia-China Monograph, Terra Scientific Publishing
Company, Tokyo, 357-369, 1995.
diapirs, and extruded onto the seafloor. Recently, we found
blueschist facies minerals (winchite and aegirine-augite) in

Mode of occurrence of winchite


(Wnc). Winchite occurs along
the rims of relict hornblende
(Hbl). Sample 125-778A-13R,CC
(piece No. 4, 6-10 cm).

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