A Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous metamorphic core complex, Strandja Massif, NW Turkey

Abstract

In the eastern part of the Strandja Massif constituting the east end of the Rhodope Massif, the amphibolite facies basement rocks intruded by Permian metagranites are juxtaposed against the greenschist facies cover metasediments of Triassic-Middle Jurassic protolith age. The distinct metamorphic break between the basement and cover rocks requires a missing metamorphic section. The boundary between the two groups of rocks is a ductile to brittle extensional shear zone with kinematic indicators exhibiting a top to the E/NE shear sense. Footwall rocks are cut by weakly metamorphosed and foliated granite bodies which are clearly distinguished from the Permian metagranites by their degree of deformation, cross-cutting relations and syn-tectonic/kinematic character. Also, hangingwall rocks were intruded by unmetamorphosed and weakly foliated leucogranites. (40)Ar/(39)Ar data indicate that the ductile deformation from 156.5 to 143.2 Ma (Middle Oxfordian-Earliest Berriasian) developed during the syn-tectonic plutonism in the footwall. Deformation, and gradual/slower cooling-exhumation survived until to 123 Ma (Barremian). The mylonitic and brittle deformation in the detachment zone developed during Oxfordian-Earliest Berriasian time (155.7-142.6 Ma) and Early Valanginian-Aptian time (136-118.7 Ma), respectively. Our new field mapping and first (40)Ar/(39)Ar ages demonstrate the existence of an extensional core complex of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous age not previously described in the Rhodope/Strandja massifs.