A. Langosch et al., Intrusive rocks in the ophiolitic melange of Crete - Witnesses to a Late Cretaceous thermal event of enigmatic geological position, CONTR MIN P, 139(3), 2000, pp. 339-355
The ophiolitic mi lange in the uppermost tectonic unit of the Cretan nappe
pile contains crystalline slices which consist of a low-pressure/high-tempe
rature metamorphic sequence and synmetamorphic intrusions, ranging in compo
sition from diorite to granite. The plutonic rocks conform to two different
igneous suites, dominated by diorites in eastern, and granites in central
Crete, displaying I-type and A-type characters, respectively. Some of the g
ranites from central Crete are classified as transitional I/S-type. They ar
e closely associated with migmatitic paragneisses. Based on major and trace
element, REE, Sr- and Nd-isotope geochemistry, the mafic members of both s
uites are derived from a depleted mantle source. The higher concentrations
of P and Ti in the mafic members of the igneous suite in central Crete and
the deviant trend of the whole suite may be explained by a different mantle
source or a lower degree of partial melting. In both suites, magmatic evol
ution was governed by fractional crystallization of amphibole/clinopyroxene
, plagioclase and minor phases. In addition, mixing or mingling of composit
ionally different magmas is indicated for the intrusive suite of eastern Cr
ete whereas in central Crete the magma composition was at least partially m
odified through assimilation of (meta)pelites. The geochemical results sugg
est that the plutonic rocks formed in a supra-subduction zone setting. Howe
ver, a formation during continental lithospheric extension cannot be ruled
out. Published and new Rb-Sr and K-Ar dates on amphiboles and biotites from
intrusive rocks and their metamorphic country rocks show that the peak of
the low-P/high-T metamorphism and the intrusion of the two igneous suites t
estify to the same thermal event of Late Cretaceous age. A similar Late Cre
taceous association of metamorphic and plutonic rocks has been described fr
om the uppermost tectonic unit in the Attic-Cycladic Crystalline Complex. T
ogether with the Cretan occurrences, they form a small sector radiating SSW
along a distance of 300 km, across the general trend of the tectonic zones
in the Hellenic orogen. This N-S alignment is regarded as a primary featur
e which may delineate the frontier zone between the Hellenides and the Taur
ides. The real paleogeographic position and geodynamic significance of the
Late Cretaceous low-pressure/high-temperature belt, however, remains enigma
tic.