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Timing and kinematics of flow in a transpressive dextral shear zone, Maures Massif (Southern France)

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Abstract

The Maures–Tanneron Massif and the Corsica–Sardinia Block are two segments of the southern European Variscan belt that separated during the Late Oligocene–Miocene due to the opening of the Western Mediterranean basin. Correlation between the two regions, based mainly on petrologic similarities, is still debated. However, there are no detailed structural and petrochronological constraints on their potential relationships. In northern Sardinia there is well-documented evidence for a dextral transpressive shear zone that initiated after the first stage of frontal collision. In the Maures–Tanneron Massif, despite recognition of an important episode of transpressive deformation, it is still unclear which structures were active during this tectonic regime. We investigate in detail the kinematic of flow, finite strain and the timing of the deformation of the Cavalaire “Fault” (CF), a major ductile shear zone in the Maures–Tanneron Massif. In contrast to previous models, we argue that the CF is a transpressive shear zone characterized by a prevalent component of pure shear, while in-situ monazite geochronology reveals that the CF is initiated at ~ 323 Ma. The new data presented here, based on a multidisciplinary approach document, for the first time, the vorticity of the flow, finite strain and timing of this sector of the East Variscan Shear Zone, a regional-scale shear zone that characterized the Southern European Variscan belt during the late Carboniferous.

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modified from Matte 2001) showing present-day relations between Corsica–Sardinia Block, Maures–Tanneron Massif and Alpine External Crystalline Massifs; b Sketch of the possible late Carboniferous relationship between Corsica–Sardinia Block, Maures–Tanneron Massif and Argentera Massif (modified after Gerbault et al. (2018); timing of transpression is from Simonetti et al. (2018) for the FMSZ; this work for the CF; Di Vincenzo et al. (2004) and Carosi et al. (2012) for the PAL and Giacomini et al. (2008) for the PVSZ; rotation of the Argentera Massif is from Collombet et al. (2002))

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Acknowledgments

Research funded by PRIN 2015 (University of Torino: R. Carosi and University of Torino: C. Montomoli), PRA 2018_41 (C. Montomoli) and funds Ricerca Locale University of Torino (60%, R. Carosi; S. Iaccarino). We thank the Editor Christian Dullo, Philippe Rossi and an anonymous reviewer for their comments that improved the quality of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento Di Scienze Della Terra, Università Degli Studi Di Torino, via V. Caluso 35, 10125, Torino, Italy

    Matteo Simonetti, Rodolfo Carosi, Chiara Montomoli, Alessandro Petroccia & Salvatore Iaccarino

  2. IGG-CNR PISA, via Moruzzi 1, Pisa, Italy

    Chiara Montomoli

  3. Géoazur, Université Côte D’Azur, 250, rue A. Einstein, 06560, Valbonne, France

    Michel Corsini

  4. Department of Earth Science, Lagoon Rd, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA

    John M. Cottle

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  1. Matteo Simonetti
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  2. Rodolfo Carosi
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  5. Alessandro Petroccia
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Correspondence to Rodolfo Carosi.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

531_2020_1898_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Supplementary file1 Polar histograms used to derive the angle ν needed for the calculation of kinematic vorticity. A1= flow apophysis 1; A2 = flow apophysis 2; n = total number of data; Wk = kinematic vorticity number. Dashed line represents the bisector of the angle between A1 and A2 apophyses (TIF 2878 kb)

531_2020_1898_MOESM2_ESM.tif

Supplementary file2 Fry graphs used for the finite strain analysis, obtained with the center-to-center method on the XZ and YZ sections of the finite strain ellipsoid; n = number of centers (TIF 3294 kb)

531_2020_1898_MOESM3_ESM.tif

Supplementary file3 Back-scattered electron (BSE) images showing the microstructural position of selected monazite grains (TIF 2369 kb)

531_2020_1898_MOESM4_ESM.tif

Supplementary file4 BSE images of selected monazite, where the position of the EMP chemical analyses (red dots, see Online resource 5) are reported (TIF 1850 kb)

Supplementary file5 Chemical analysis of the monazite selected for petrochronology (XLSX 118 kb)

531_2020_1898_MOESM6_ESM.xlsx

Supplementary file6 Full dataset of isotopic data obtained from the monazites of selected samples (CD1, CD6, MTM10 and SL6) and of the analyzed standards (XLSX 81 kb)

531_2020_1898_MOESM7_ESM.tif

Supplementary file7 Compositional maps of Y of selected monazite for petrochronology, where ages obtained for each spot are reported. U = age corresponding to the 207-corrected 206Pb/238U systematics; Th = age obtained with the 208Pb/232Th systematics; spot size is 7 µm (TIF 3717 kb)

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Simonetti, M., Carosi, R., Montomoli, C. et al. Timing and kinematics of flow in a transpressive dextral shear zone, Maures Massif (Southern France). Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 109, 2261–2285 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-020-01898-6

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