Concentric Zoning in the Tunk Lake Pluton, Coastal Maine

Abstract

The Tunk Lake pluton of coastal Maine, USA is a concentrically zoned granitic body that grades from an outer hypersolvus granite into subsolvus rapakivi granite, and then into subsolvus non-rapakivi granite, with gradational contacts between these zones. The pluton is partially surrounded by a zone of basaltic and gabbroic enclaves, interpreted as quenched magmatic droplets and mushes, respectively, as well as gabbroic xenoliths, all hosted by high-silica granite. The granite is zoned in terms of mineral assemblage, mineral composition, zircon crystallization temperature, and major and trace element concentration, from the present-day rim (interpreted as being closer to the base of the chamber) to the core (interpreted as being closer to the upper portions of the chamber). The ferromagnesian mineral assemblage systematically changes from augite and hornblende with augite cores in the outermost hypersolvus granite to hornblende, to hornblende and biotite, and finally, to biotite only in the subsolvus granite core of the pluton. Sparse fine-grained basaltic enclaves that are most common in the outermost zone of the pluton suggest that basaltic magma was present in the lower portions of the magma chamber at the same time that the upper portions of the magma chamber were occupied by a granitic crystal mush. However, the slight variations in initial Nd isotopic ratio in granites from different zones of the pluton suggest that contamination of the granitic melt by basaltic melt played little role in generating the compositional gradation of the pluton. The zone of basaltic and gabbroic chilled magmatic enclaves, and gabbroic xenoliths, hosted by high-silica granite, that partially surround the pluton is interpreted as mafic layers at the base of the pluton that were disrupted by invading late-stage high-silica magma. These mafic layers are likely to have consisted of basaltic lava layers and basalt that chilled against granitic magma to produce coarse-grained gabbroic mush. Basaltic and gabbroic magmatic enclaves and gabbroic xenoliths are hornblende-bearing, suggesting that their parent melts were relatively hydrous. The water-rich nature of the underplating mafic magmas may have prevented extensive invasion of the granitic magma by these magmas, owing to the much greater viscosity of the granitic magma than the mafic magmas in the temperature range over which magma interaction could have occurred.

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

A-Type Granite; Magma Mixing; Microtextures; Neodymium Isotopes; Rapakivi; Water; A-Type Rock; Crystallization; Enclave; Gabbro; Hornblende; Isotopic Ratio; Magma Chamber; Pluton; Temperature; Trace Element; Xenolith; Zoning; Maine; United States

Geographic Coverage

Maine

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0010-7999

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2011 Springer Verlag, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Dec 2011

Link to Full Text

Share

 
COinS