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Along-arc lateral variation of Rb−Sr and K−Ar ages of Cretaceous granitic rocks in Southwest Japan

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Abstract

Cretaceous granitic rocks were emplaced over a distance of 700 km along arc in Southwest Japan. Rb−Sr and K−Ar ages of a major group of these granitic rocks, with ilmenite series ore mineralogy, were examined. Rb−Sr whole rock ages of 92.8±4.0 Ma and Rb−Sr and K−Ar biotite ages of 80–88 Ma were obtained on one group of these granitic rocks from Kamo-Sera area of central Hiroshima Prefecture. The K−Ar ages of various minerals, combined with the Rb−Sr whole-rock age, give a smooth cooling curve, which suggests a 5 to 10 Ma time-lag between intrusion and cooling at 300° C for the Cretaceous granitic rocks. The Rb−Sr whole-rock and Rb−Sr/K−Ar biotite ages of these granitic rocks become younger eastward along the Southwest Japan arc, and the time-lag between the two systems remains constant at 5 to 10 Ma over the entire area. The along-arc age variation does not support the genetical relationship of the Cretaceous granitoids with steady-state subduction. The Cretaceous granitic province at the eastern margin of Eurasian continent was, at least partly, formed by an episodic event such as ridge subduction.

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  1. Geological Survey of Japan, Higashi, 305, Tsukuba, Japan

    Takashi Nakajima, Teruo Shirahase & Ken Shibata

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  1. Takashi Nakajima
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  2. Teruo Shirahase
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  3. Ken Shibata
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Nakajima, T., Shirahase, T. & Shibata, K. Along-arc lateral variation of Rb−Sr and K−Ar ages of Cretaceous granitic rocks in Southwest Japan. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 104, 381–389 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01575616

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