The Archean craton of southern India: metamorphic evolution and P-T conditions

Abstract

The Archaean craton of southern India is characterized by a highly complicated and not yet fully understood geological history comprizing several cycles of sedimentation and volcanism, deformation and metamorphism in the span between about 3400 and 2500 m. y. The large scale regional variation in metamorphic grade observed today is essentially related to a metamorphic event at about 2600 m. y. ago which affected an older migmatite, gneiss-greenstone terrain (2900-3400 m. y.). The southern area is characterized by granulite facies (700-750° C/8-10 kb). An extensive charnockite-khondalite belt has been generated by atectonic transformation of the migmatite-gneiss terrain through the influx of a CO₂-rich fluid. Towards the north of the terrain the metamorphic grade decreases to amphibolite facies (600°C/6-8 kb) and to greenschist facies (400°C) which is restricted to the Dharwar greenstone belts. Metamorphism related to younger shear zones in the southern part of the craton led to retrogression of the charnockite-khondalite series under conditions of amphibolite to greenschist facies. The P-T conditions of metamorphism have been evaluated applying mineral stability data and methods of geothermometry and geobarometry in an area between Shimoga-Chitradurga (North) and Coimbatore-Karur (South).