The Alpe Arami Story: Triumph of Data over Prejudice

Harry W. Green II; Larissa F Dobrzhinetskaya; Krassimir N Bozhilov

doi:10.1007/s12583-010-0130-0

Volume 21 Issue 5

Oct 2010

Turn off MathJax

Article Contents

Journal of Earth Science > 2010 > 21(5): 731-743.

Harry W. Green II, Larissa F Dobrzhinetskaya, Krassimir N Bozhilov. The Alpe Arami Story: Triumph of Data over Prejudice. Journal of Earth Science, 2010, 21(5): 731-743. doi: 10.1007/s12583-010-0130-0

Citation:

Harry W. Green II, Larissa F Dobrzhinetskaya, Krassimir N Bozhilov. The Alpe Arami Story: Triumph of Data over Prejudice. Journal of Earth Science, 2010, 21(5): 731-743. doi: 10.1007/s12583-010-0130-0

Citation:

PDF( 828 KB)

The Alpe Arami Story: Triumph of Data over Prejudice

doi: 10.1007/s12583-010-0130-0

1.
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Department of Earth Sciences, University of California at Riverside, Riverside CA92521, USA
2.
Department of Earth Sciences, University of California at Riverside, Riverside CA92521, USA

Funds:

the US National Science Foundation

More Information

Corresponding author: Harry W Green II, harry.green@ucr.edu
Received Date: 03 Aug 2010
Accepted Date: 01 Sep 2010
Publish Date: 01 Oct 2010

Abstract

Abstract

The Alpe Arami garnet peridotite of the Southern Swiss Alps is associated with eclogites and included within quartzofeldspathic gneisses. Controversy has swirled around the depth of origin of this massif since the 1970s when application of the newly-developed technique of thermobarometry suggested a depth of last equilibration of greater than 120 km. Such controversy accelerated in 1996 when we reported microstructural evidence of extensive precipitation of ilmenite and spinel from olivine and proposed a much greater depth of origin. Subsequent experiments showed that it was possible to dissolve the observed amount of TiO₂ in olivine, but only at depths in excess of 300 km, agreeing with the earlier proposal. In 1999 we added new, independent, evidence concerning exsolution of high-pressure clinoenstatite from diopside that in-and-of-itself required a depth of origin in excess of 250 km. Subsequently, we also added evidence from the surrounding eclogites of very high pressures and experimental evidence that the pyroxenes included in the amoeboid garnets of this rock had exsolved from a majoritic parent at perhaps even greater pressures. In refutation of the first two of these observations, suggestions were made that (i) we had made a serious error in our estimate of how much ilmenite was present in olivine (and therefore how much TiO₂ had been dissolved in olivine); (ii) the ilmenite had not been exsolved from olivine but former titanian clinohumite had been present and broke down to yield the ilmenite; (iii) the pyroxene exsolved from diopside had been high-temperature clinoenstatite. In all three of these cases, the alternatives offered were claimed to be accommodated at low pressures. Here we review the essence of this controversy and show that the only scenario that can explain all of the data is the one that we originally proposed; indeed, the more recent data have strongly supported that interpretation and pushed the minimum origin of the massif to depths approaching 400 km.
- Alpe Arami,
- TiO₂ in olivine,
- high-pressure clinoenstatite,
- deep exhumation

FullText(HTML)

References(63)

References

Akaogi, M., Ito, E., Navrotsky, A., 1989. Olivine Modified Spinel-Spinel Transition in the System Mg₂SiO₄-Fe₂SiO₄: Calorimetric Measurements, Thermochemical Calculation, and Geophysical Application. J. Geophys. Res. , 94: 15671–15685 doi: 10.1029/JB094iB11p15671

Angel, R. J., Chopelas, A., Ross, N. L. 1992. Stability of High-Density Clinoenstatite at Upper-Mantle Pressures. Nature, 358(6384): 322–324 doi: 10.1038/358322a0

Arlt, T., Kunz, M., Stolz, J., et al., 2000. P-T-X Data on P2₁/c-Clinopyroxenes and Their Displacive Phase Transitions. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. , 138(1): 35–45 doi: 10.1007/PL00007660

Bakun-Czubarow, N., 1992. Quartz Pseudomorphs after Coesite and Quartz Exsolutions in Eclogitic Omphacites of the Zlote Mountains in the Sudetes (SW Poland). Archiwum Mineralogiczne, 48(1–2): 3–25

Becker, H., 1993. Garnet Peridotite and Eclogite Sm-Nd Mineral Ages from the Lepontine Dome (Swiss Alps): New Evidence for Eocene High-Pressure Metamorphism in the Central Alps. Geology, 21: 599–602 doi: 10.1130/0091-7613(1993)021<0599:GPAESN>2.3.CO;2

Boyd, F. R., 1973. A Pyroxene Geotherm. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 37(12): 2533–2546 doi: 10.1016/0016-7037(73)90263-9

Bozhilov, K. N., Green, H. W., Dobrzhinetskaya, L. F., 2003. Quantitative 3D Measurement of Ilmenite Abundance in Alpe Arami Olivine by Confocal Microscopy: Confirmation of High-Pressure Origin. Am. Mineral. , 88: 596–603 doi: 10.2138/am-2003-0413

Bozhilov, K. N., Green, H. W., Dobrzhinetskaya, L., 1999. Clinoenstatite in Alpe Arami Peridotite: Additional Evidence for very High Pressure. Science, 284(5411): 129–132

Brenker, F. E., Brey, G. P., 1997. Reconstruction of the Exhumation Path of the Alpe Arami Garnet-Peridotite Body from Depths Exceeding 160 km. J. Metamorphic Geology, 15(5): 581–592 doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1314.1997.tb00637.x

Buiskool-Toxopeus, J. M. A., 1976. Petrofabrics, Microtextures and Dislocation Substructures of Olivine in a Peridotite Mylonite (Alpe Arami, Switzerland). Leidse Geol. Med. , 51(1): 1–35

Dobrzhinetskaya, L. F., Bozhilov, K. N., Green, H. W., 2000. The Solubility of TiO₂ in Olivine: Implications for the Mantle Wedge Environment. Chem. Geol. , 160(4): 357–370

Dobrzhinetskaya, L. F., Green, H. W., Renfro, A. P., et al., 2004. Precipitation of Pyroxenes and Mg₂SiO₄ from Majoritic Garnet: Simulation of Peridotite Exhumation from Great Depth. Terra Nova, 16(6): 325–330 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3121.2004.00569.x

Dobrzhinetskaya, L. F., Green, H. W., Renfro, A. P., et al., 2005. Decompression of Majoritic Garnet: An Experimental Investigation of Mantle Peridotite Exhumation. In: Chen, J. H., Wang, Y. B., Duffy, T. S., et al., eds., Advances in High-Pressure Technology for Geophysical Applications. Elsevier, Amsterdam. 265–287

Dobrzhinetskaya, L. F., Green, H. W., Wang, S., 1996. Alpe Arami: A Peridotite Massif from Depths of more than 300 km. Science, 271(5257): 1841–1845 doi: 10.1126/science.271.5257.1841

Dobrzhinetskaya, L. F., Schweinehage, R., Massonne, H. J., et al., 2002. Silica Precipitates in Omphacite from Eclogite at Alpe Arami, Switzerland: Evidence of Deep Subduction. J. Metamorphic Geology, 20(5): 481–492 doi: 10.1046/j.1525-1314.2002.00383.x

Ernst, W. G., 1977. Mineralogic Study of Eclogitic Rocks from Alpe Arami, Lepontine Alps, Southern Switzerland. J. Petrology, 18(3): 371–398 doi: 10.1093/petrology/18.3.371

Ernst, W. G., 1978. Petrochemical Study of Lherzolitic Rocks from the Western Alps. J. Petrology, 19(3): 341–392 doi: 10.1093/petrology/19.3.341

Ernst, W. G., 1981. Petrogenesis of Eclogites and Peridotites from the Western and Ligurian Alps. Am. Mineral. , 66: 443–472

Gayk, T., Kleinschrodt, R., Langosch, A., et al., 1995. Quartz Exsolution in Clinopyroxene of High-Pressure Granulite from the Münchberg Massif. European Journal of Mineralogy, 7: 1217–1220 doi: 10.1127/ejm/7/5/1217

Gebauer, D., 1996. A P-T-t Path for an (Ultra-) High-Pressure Ultramafic/Mafic Rock-Association and Its Felsic Country-Rocks Based on SHRIMP-Dating of Magmatic and Metamorphic Zircon Domains, Example: Alpe Arami (Central Swiss Alps). In: Basu, A., Hart, S. R., eds., Earth Processes: Reading the Isotopic Code. Geophysical Monograph, 95: 307–329

Green, H. W., Dobrzhinetskaya, L. F., Bozhilov, K. N., 1997a. Determining the Origin of Ultra-high Pressure Lherzolites (Response). Science, 278: 704–707

Green, H. W., Dobrzhinetskaya, L. F., Riggs, E. M., et al., 1997b. Alpe Arami: A Peridotite Massif from the Mantle Transition Zone? Tectonophysics, 279(1–4): 1–21

Green, H. W., Dobrzhinetskaya, L., Bozhilov, K. N., 2000. Mineralogical and Experimental Evidence for very Deep Exhumation from Subduction Zones. J. Geodynamics, 30(1–2): 61–76

Hacker, B. R., Sharp, T., Zhang, R. Y., et al., 1997. Determining the Origin of Ultrahigh-Pressure Lherzolites (Discussion). Science, 278(5338): 701–707

Haggerty, S. E., Sautter, V., 1990. Ultradeep (Greater than 300 Kilometers), Ultramafic Upper Mantle Xenoliths. Science, 248(4958): 993–996 doi: 10.1126/science.248.4958.993

Hermann, J., O'Neill, H. S. C., Berry, A. J., 2005. Titanium Solubility in Olivine in the System TiO₂-MgO-SiO₂: No Evidence for an Ultra-deep Origin of Ti-Bearing Olivine. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. , 148(6): 746–760 doi: 10.1007/s00410-004-0637-4

Irifune, T., Sekine, T., Ringwood, A. E., et al., 1986. The Eclogite-Garnetite Transformation at High Pressure and Some Geophysical Implications. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 77(2): 245–256 doi: 10.1016/0012-821X(86)90165-2

Katayama, I., Parkinson, C. D., Okamoto, K., et al., 2000. Supersilicic Clinopyroxene and Silica Exsolution in UHPM Eclogite and Pelitic Gneiss from the Kokchetav Massif, Kazakhstan. Am. Mineral. , 85: 1368–1374 doi: 10.2138/am-2000-1004

Liu, X. W., Jin, Z. M., Green, H. W., 2007. Clinoenstatite Exsolution in Diopsidic Augite of Dabieshan: Garnet Peridotite from Depth of 300 km. Am. Mineral. , 92: 546–552 doi: 10.2138/am.2007.2232

Medaris, L. G., Carswell, D. A., 1990. The Petrogenesis of Mg-Cr Garnet Peridotites in European Metamorphic Belts. In: Carswell, D. A., ed., Eclogite Facies Rocks. Blackie-Glasgow, London. 260–290

Möckel, J. R., 1969. Structural Petrology of the Garnet Peridotite of Alpe Arami (Ticino, Switzerland). Leidse Geol. Med. , 42: 61–130

Nee, P. Y., Zhao, S., Green, H. W., et al., 2009. Experimental Studies of the CaEsk Component in Pyroxene at High PT in Multianvil Apparatus. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meet, Abstract, MR13A-1657

Nestola, F., Tribaudino, M., Ballaran, T. B., 2004. High Pressure Behavior, Transformation and Crystal Structure of Synthetic Iron-Free Pigeonite. Am. Mineral. , 89: 189–196 doi: 10.2138/am-2004-0122

Nimis, P., Trommsdorff, V., 2001a. Revised Thermobarometry of Alpe Arami and Other Garnet Peridotites from the Central Alps. J. Petrology, 42(1): 103–115 doi: 10.1093/petrology/42.1.103

Nimis, P., Trommsdorff, V., 2001b. Comment on 'New Constraints on the P-T Evolution of the Alpe Arami Garnet Peridoite Body (Central Alps, Switzerland)' by Paquin & Altherr (2001). J. Petrology, 42(9): 1773–1779 doi: 10.1093/petrology/42.9.1773

Olker, B., Altherr, R., Paquin, J., 2003. Fast Exhumation of the Ultrahigh-Pressure Alpe Arami Garnet Peridotite (Central Alps, Switzerland): Constraints from Geospeedometry and Thermal Modelling. J. Metamorphic Geology, 21(4): 395–402 doi: 10.1046/j.1525-1314.2003.00450.x

Paquin, J., Altherr, R., 2001a. New Constraints on the P-T Evolution of the Alpe Arami Garnet Peridotite Body (Central Alps, Switzerland). J. Petrology, 42(6): 1119–1140 doi: 10.1093/petrology/42.6.1119

Paquin, J., Altherr, R., 2001b. 'New Constraints on the P-T Evolution of the Alpe Arami Garnet Peridoite Body (Central Alps, Switzerland)': Reply to Comment by Nimis and Trommsdorff (2001). J. Petrology, 42(9): 1781–1787 doi: 10.1093/petrology/42.9.1781

Paquin, J., Altherr, R., 2002. Subduction-Related Lithium Metasomatism during Exhumation of the Alpe Arami Ultrahigh-Pressure Garnet Peridotite (Central Alps, Switzerland). Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. , 143(5): 623–640 doi: 10.1007/s00410-002-0367-4

Paquin, J., Altherr, R., Ludwig, T., 2004. Li-Be-B Systematics in the Ultrahigh-Pressure Garnet Peridotite from Alpe Arami (Central Swiss Alps): Implications for Slab-to-Mantle Wedge Transfer. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 218(3–4): 507–519

Risold, A. C., Trommsdorff, V., Grobéty, B., 2001. Genesis of Ilmenite Rods and Palisades along Humite-Type Defects in Olivine from Alpe Arami. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. , 140(5): 619–628 doi: 10.1007/s004100000204

Robinson, P., Ross, M., Nord, G. L., et al., 1977. Exsolution Lamellae in Augite and Pigeonite: Fossil Indicators of Lattice Parameters at High Temperature and Pressure. Am. Mineral. , 62: 857–873

Shinmei, T., Tomioka, N., Fujino, K., et al., 1999. In Situ X-Ray Diffraction Study of Enstatite up to 12 GPa and 1 473 K and Equations of State. Am. Mineral. , 84: 1588–1594 doi: 10.2138/am-1999-1012

Smith, D. C., 1988. A Review of the Peculiar Mineralogy of the 'Norwegian Coesite-Eclogite Province', with Crystal-Chemical. Petrological, Geochemical and Geodynamical Notes and an Extensive Bibliography. In: Smith, D. C., ed., Eclogite and Eclogite-Facies Rocks. Elsevier, Amsterdam. 1–206

Smith, D. C., Cheeney, R. F., 1980. Orientated Needles of Quartz in Clinopyroxene: Evidence for Exsolution of SiO₂ from a Non-Stoichiometric Supersilicic "Clinopyroxene". 26th International Geol. Congress (Abstract), Paris, 1: 14

Smyth, J. R., 1980. Cation Vacancies and the Crystal Chemistry of Breakdown Reactions in Kimberlitic Omphacites. Am. Mineral. , 65: 1185–1191

Spengler, D., Van-Roermund, H. L. M., Drury, M. R., et al., 2006. Deep Origin and Hot Melting of an Archaean Orogenic Peridotite Massif in Norway. Nature, 440(7086): 913–917 doi: 10.1038/nature04644

Tinker, D., Lesher, C. E., 2001. Solubility of TiO₂ in Olivine from 1 to 8 GPa. EOS Transactions of the American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2001, Abstract #V51B-1001

Tribaudino, M., Nestola, F., Camara, F., et al., 2002. The High-Temperatur P2₁/c-C2/c Phase Transition in Fe-Free Pyroxene (Ca_0.15Mg_1.85Si₂O₆): Structural and Thermodynamic Behavior. Am. Mineral. , 87: 648–657 doi: 10.2138/am-2002-5-607

Tribaudino, M., Prencipe, M., Bruno, M., et al., 2000. High-Pressure Behaviour of Ca-Rich C2/c Clinopyroxenes along the Join Diopside-Enstatite (CaMgSi₂O₆-Mg₂Si₂O₆). Phys. Chem. Minerals, 27(9): 656–664 doi: 10.1007/s002690000106

Tsai, C. H., Liou, J. G., 2000. Eclogite-Facies Relics and Inferred Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphism in the North Dabie Complex, Central-Eastern China. Am. Mineral. , 85: 1–8 doi: 10.2138/am-2000-0101

Van-Ark, E. M., Ulmer, P., Risold, A. C., et al., 1998. TiO₂ Solubility in Mantle Olivine as a Function of Pressure, Temperature, a(SiO₂) and f(H₂). EOS Trans. Am. Geophys. Union, 79(17): 164

Van Roermund, H. L. M., Drury, M. R., 1998. Ultra-high Pressure (P > 6 GPa) Garnet Peridotites in Western Norway: Exhumation of Mantle Rocks from > 185 km Depth. Terra Nova, 10(6): 295–301 doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3121.1998.00213.x

Van Roermund, H. L. M., Drury, M. R., Barnhoorn, A., et al., 2001. Relict Majoritic Garnet Microstructures from Ultra-deep Orogenic Peridotites in Western Norway. J. Petrology, 42(1): 117–130 doi: 10.1093/petrology/42.1.117

Wenk, E., 1970. Zur Regionalmetamorphose und Ultrametamorphose im Lepontin Regional Metamorphism and Ultrametamorphism in the Lepontine Alps. Fortschr. Miner. , 47(1): 34–51 (in German)

Wenk, E., Keller, F., 1969. Isograde in Amphibolitserien der Zentralalpen Isograds in Amphibolite Series of the Central Alps. Schweiz. Mineral. Petrogr. Mitt. , 49(1): 157–198 (in German)

Wenk, E., Schwander, H., Stern, W., 1974. On Calcic Amphiboles and Amphibolites from the Lepontine Alps. Schweiz. Mineral. Petrogr. Mitt. , 54(1): 97–149

Woodland, A. B., Angel, R. L., 1997. Reversal of the Orthoferrosilite-High-Pressure Clinoferrosilite Transition, a Phase Diagram for FeSiO₃ and Implications for the Mineralogy of the Earth's Upper Mantle. Eur. J. Mineral. , 9: 245 doi: 10.1127/ejm/9/2/0245

Yamaguchi, Y., Akai, J., Tomita, K., 1978. Clinoamphibole Lamellae in Diopside of Garnet Lherzolite from Alpe Arami, Bellinzona, Switzerland. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. , 66(3): 263–270 doi: 10.1007/BF00373410

Zhang, L. F., Song, S. G., Liou, J. G., et al., 2005. Relict Coesite Exsolution in Omphacite from Western Tianshan Eclogites, China. Am. Mineral. , 90: 181–186 doi: 10.2138/am.2005.1587

Zhang, R. Y., Hirajima, T., Banno, S., et al., 1995. Petrology of Ultra-high Pressure Rocks from the Southern Sulu Region, Eastern China. J. Metamorphic Geology, 13(6): 659–675 doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1314.1995.tb00250.x

Zhang, Z. M., Shen, K., Xiao, Y. L., et al., 2006. Mineral and Fluid Inclusions in Zircon of UHP Metamorphic Rocks from the CCSD-Main Drill Hole: A Record of Metamorphism and Fluid Activity. Lithos, 92(3–4): 378–398

Zhu, Y. F., Ogasawara, Y., 2002. Phlogopite and Coesite Exsolution from Super-silicic Clinopyroxene. International Geology Review, 44(9): 831–836 doi: 10.2747/0020-6814.44.9.831

Relative Articles

Supplements(0)

Cited By

Proportional views