From Jurassic shores to Cretaceous plutons: Geochemical evidence for paleoalteration environments of metavolcanic rocks, eastern California

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 1998 From Jurassic shores to Cretaceous plutons: Geochemical evidence for paleoalteration environments of metavolcanic rocks, eastern California Sorena S. Sorensen; Sorena S. Sorensen 1Department of Mineral Sciences, NHB-119, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar George C. Dunne; George C. Dunne 2Department of Geological Sciences, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California 91330-8266 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. Brooks Hanson; R. Brooks Hanson 3Science, 1200 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Mark D. Barton; Mark D. Barton 4Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jennifer Becker; Jennifer Becker 4Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Othmar T. Tobisch; Othmar T. Tobisch 5Earth Science Board, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95604 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Richard S. Fiske Richard S. Fiske 6Department of Mineral Sciences, NHB-119, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Sorena S. Sorensen 1Department of Mineral Sciences, NHB-119, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560 George C. Dunne 2Department of Geological Sciences, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California 91330-8266 R. Brooks Hanson 3Science, 1200 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005 Mark D. Barton 4Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Jennifer Becker 4Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Othmar T. Tobisch 5Earth Science Board, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95604 Richard S. Fiske 6Department of Mineral Sciences, NHB-119, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1998) 110 (3): 326–343. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1998)110<0326:FJSTCP>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Sorena S. Sorensen, George C. Dunne, R. Brooks Hanson, Mark D. Barton, Jennifer Becker, Othmar T. Tobisch, Richard S. Fiske; From Jurassic shores to Cretaceous plutons: Geochemical evidence for paleoalteration environments of metavolcanic rocks, eastern California. GSA Bulletin 1998;; 110 (3): 326–343. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1998)110<0326:FJSTCP>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Volcanic and plutonic rocks exposed in east-central California record a long history of metasomatism and/or metamorphism within the Mesozoic Cordilleran continental arc. We use whole-rock and mineral elemental compositions, along with standard and cathodoluminescence petrography to characterize alteration histories of Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic metavolcanic rocks in the Ritter Range, White-Inyo Mountains, and Alabama Hills. Although alkali-metasomatism is widespread and pervasive, ratios and abundances of Ce, Th, Tb, and Ta suggest that mafic protoliths from the White-Inyo Mountains were shoshonitic, whereas those from the Ritter Range were calc-alkaline. Alkali exchange apparently modified the compositions of many metavolcanic rocks. Much of this metasomatism may have occurred at low-temperature (T) conditions, and attended or shortly postdated deposition of the volcanic protoliths. High δ18O values for K-rich metatuffs from the Ritter Range suggest that the K-metasomatizing fluid was low-T seawater. In contrast, low δ18O values for K-rich metatuffs from the Alabama Hills and Inyo Mountains seem to reflect rock interaction with meteoric water prior to contact metamorphism. Jurassic metatuffs deposited in marine (Ritter Range) and nonmarine (Alabama Hills, Inyo Mountains) settings display similar degrees of K for Na (or Ca) exchange that were affected by isotopically distinct fluids. Some alkali-metasomatism of Jurassic metavolcanic rocks is related to Cretaceous plutonism. In the Ritter Range and Alabama Hills, these effects are localized around pluton contacts, appear to be more vein related than pervasive, and overprint K-metasomatized assemblages. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.