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Combined U/Pb and (U–Th)/He geochronometry of basalt maars in Western Carpathians: implications for age of intraplate volcanism and origin of zircon metasomatism

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Abstract

The age of intraplate volcanism in northern Pannonian Basin of Carpathians is revisited using a combination of zircon U/Pb, zircon (U–Th)/He and apatite (U–Th)/He dating techniques, complemented by electron microprobe (EMP) characterisation of dated minerals. A total of six maar structures and diatremes in the South-Slovakian Volcanic Field (SSVF) were dated and the obtained new ages yielded the following key findings: Two isolated maars in SE part indirectly dated by geomorphologic constraints to Late Pleistocene are actually of Pliocene (2.8 ± 0.2 Ma) and Late Miocene (5.5 ± 0.6 Ma) ages. In contrast, two maars in NW part of the study area are of Late Pliocene age (4.1 ± 0.4 and 5.2–5.4 Ma), younger than the Late Miocene age (~6.5 Ma) inferred previously from K/Ar data on the proximal basaltic lava flows. These maars therefore belong to the second volcanic phase that was previously identified only in SE part of the SSVF. In the light of the new geochronologic data, it seems likely that the Pliocene phreatomagmatic eruptions may have occurred along extension-related, NW- and NE-trending orthogonal faults. EMP analyses and imaging revealed an extensive syn- and post-growth metasomatic replacement by dissolution-reprecipitation in the majority of zircons. Abundant silicate melt inclusions in porous metasomatised parts of the zircons are diagnostic of magmatic rather than hydrothermal metasomatism. Consistent ages of the metasomatised and non-metasomatised zones do not indicate disturbance of the U–Pb system during the metasomatism. Enrichment in U and Th loss in the metasomatised zircons are diagnostic of an increasing oxygen fugacity triggered by degassing of the volatile residual melt during the final stages of alkali basalt fractionation. Rare zircon-to-baddeleyite transformation was probably connected with lowered silica activity in carbonated basaltic magmas in south-eastern part of the study area.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by VEGA grant 2/0069/13. We thank N. Evans (Curtin University) for English language improvement and sharing U–Th spike and standard solutions. MD thanks I. Dunkl (Göttingen University) for sharing PepiFLEX software for ICP-MS data reduction, P. Jarman (Waikato University) for constructing Helium extraction line, T. Fellows (LiveWires Ltd.) for Helium line automation, S. Cameron (Waikato University) for assistance with ICP-MS, and P. J. J. Kamp (Waikato University) for providing access to the (U–Th)/He laboratory. The manuscript greatly benefited from thorough review of an anonymous reviewer and editorial comments of J. Hoefs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, P.O. Box 106, 84005, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Vratislav Hurai

  2. Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand

    Martin Danišík

  3. Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, 84215, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Monika Huraiová

  4. Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, BP 10448, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Jean-Louis Paquette

  5. CNRS, UMR6524, LMV, 63038, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Jean-Louis Paquette

  6. IRD, R 163, LMV, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Jean-Louis Paquette

  7. 980 04, Gemerské Dechtáre 107, Slovakia

    Alexander Ádám

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  1. Vratislav Hurai
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Correspondence to Vratislav Hurai.

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Communicated by J. Hoefs.

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Hurai, V., Danišík, M., Huraiová, M. et al. Combined U/Pb and (U–Th)/He geochronometry of basalt maars in Western Carpathians: implications for age of intraplate volcanism and origin of zircon metasomatism. Contrib Mineral Petrol 166, 1235–1251 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-013-0922-1

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