Collaboration between Polytechnique Montréal and Lund University to realise a petrochronological study in the vicinity of the Allochthon Boundary Thrust (ABT) in the Grenville Province and its Sveconorwegian extent, the Mylonite Zone.

Study of the core of ancient mountain belts is key to the understanding of current tectonic processes. In Canada and Sweden, the Grenvillian and Sveconorwegian orogenies are the relict of a major tectonic event, similar to the continent-continent collision between India and Eurasia. In both locations, a major tectonic boundary i.e. the Allochthonous Boundary Thrust (Canada) and the Mylonite Zone (Sweden) is exposed and is actively studied to understand tectonic processes, specifically exhumation or the path followed by rocks from deep within the Earth’s crust back to the surface. This project focuses on the exhumation of high-grade metamorphic rocks in both locations. Samples are studied under optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy, key minerals are dated, and metamorphic conditions are calculated from trace element concentrations and thermodynamic modeling. Thus, this study will rebuild the Pressure-Temperature-time history of key samples to assess their role in their respective orogeny. Then, this new information will be used to test existing tectonic models.

Faculty Supervisor:

Félix Gervais

Student:

Partner:

Lund University

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Education

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program: