Crustal Anatexis and Initiation of the Continental‐Scale Chongshan Strike‐Slip Shear Zone on the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

AbstractContinental‐scale strike‐slip shear zones often record significant tectono‐magmatism and dynamic deformation processes of the crustal lithosphere. However, the genetic relationships and timing among the anatexis, deformation, and initial shearing along a strike‐slip shear zone have not been well defined. Here, we carried out detailed field, microstructural, zircon U–Pb geochronology, geochemical and EBSD texture analyses of leucogranites and migmatites in the Chongshan shear zone (CS‐SZ). The results indicate that most migmatites and leucogranites exhibit strong shear deformation and well‐developed high‐temperature mylonitic microstructures. The quartz aggregated from foliated leucogranites developed dominant high‐temperature prism <c> and prism <a> slip systems. The pre‐ and syn‐kinematic crustal anatexis and localized weak zone mainly occurred from 35 to 29 Ma along the CS‐SZ, which is closely related to the post‐collisional extension and collapse of overthickened crust. Biotite dehydration melting formed pre‐ and syn‐kinematic melts and leucogranites that further experienced fractional crystallization of plagioclase and K‐feldspar during melting and subsequent melt migration and emplacement upward along the tectonic weak zone. The thinning and weakening of lithospheric crust further facilitated the initial and formation strike‐slip displacement along the CS‐SZ, which occurred from 29 to 20 Ma or much later to 18 Ma. Finally, we propose that crustal anatexis and upward migrating melts play a key role in controlling the thermal state and rheological strength of the crust, resulting in nucleation and initiation of the localized deep‐seated shear zone that accommodates significant displacement for the India–Asia continental forward collision and intracontinental deformation.