Metamorphism and Tectonic Evolution of Metamorphic Belts

Dear Colleagues,

The study of metamorphism and the tectonic evolution of metamorphic belts provides critical insights into the dynamic processes shaping the Earth's crust (compression vs. extension). By analyzing metamorphic rocks and their formation conditions, geologists can reconstruct the history of plate movements, the nature of past environments at great depths and the mechanisms driving the Earth's tectonic activities. This knowledge is fundamental to our understanding of the planet's geological past, present and future. We call for research contributions studying these closely related processes of metamorphism and structural evolution of metamorphic belts produced either during plate convergence, nappe stacking and crustal thickening or plate divergence, crustal thinning and the exhumation of deep crustal rocks.  As an example, we referred to the Himalayan Metamorphic Belt, The Alps, Dinnarides and Hellenides orogenic belts or the Franciscan complex in California.

Dr. Adamantios A. Kilias
Dr. Ilias Lazos
Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Gawlick
Guest Editors

Dr. Emmanouil Katrivanos
Guest Editor Assistant

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• compression
• extension
• nappe stacking
• crustal exhumation
• orogeny
• subduction
• obduction
• metamorphism
• migmatites

Title: Thick-skinned triangle zones: An example from pro- and retro-wedges of the western and central Greater Caucasus orogen
Authors: Victor Alania
Affiliation: Institute of Geophysics, I. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
Abstract: The Greater Caucasus is one of the best field laboratories to investigate mechanisms of collision-driven far-field double wedge orogen formed by the ongoing collision between the Arabian and Eurasian plates. Within pro-and retro-wedges of the western and central GC orogen, we identify thick-skinned triangle zones where the external side of the triangle involves the foreland basement in the deformation. Our new 2D seismic data from the frontal part of the pro-wedge of Greater Caucasus (Dzirula-Imereti Uplift Zone) have revealed the presence of a crustal-scale triangle zone. The formation of the Dzirula-Imereti Uplift Zone is complicated by the interaction between several detachments from the mid-crustal detachment to the uppermost detachments along the lower and upper Jurassic shales. The structure of the retro-wedge of the Greater Caucasus is very complex as evidenced by 2D seismic sections presented in previous studies (e.g. Sobornov, 2021). The structural styles presented along the Kuban and Terek foreland basins, evidence an evolution of complex geometries like passive-roof duplexes, passive-roof thrust, active-roof duplexes, and growth fault-related folds. Triangle zones in the pro- and retro-wedge of the Greater Caucasus are interpreted as multiple fault-bend fold wedges models and are a good example of the wedge-dominated thick-skinned triangle zone.

Title: Polymetamorphic evolution of Parvenets complex, Bulgaria - U-Th-Pb monazite and zircon geochronology
Authors: Milena Georgieva1*, Valerie Bosse2, Zlatka Cherneva1, Tzvetomila Vladinova3
Affiliation: 1 Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Tsar Osvoboditel Blv, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria; 2 Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA) - Clermont Ferrand – France, Campus universitaire des Cézeaux - 6 av. Blaise Pascal; 3 Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad.G. Bonchev str., 1113, Sofia Bulgaria