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Lithosphere Dynamics and Sedimentary Basins: The Arabian Plate and Analogues pp 335–360Cite as

The Cryogenian Arc formation and successive High-K calc-alkaline plutons of Socotra Island (Yemen)

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Part of the book series: Frontiers in Earth Sciences ((FRONTIERS))

Abstract

The Socotra Island belongs to the southern rifted margin of the Gulf of Aden and occupied in Neoproterozoic times a key position to constrain the age and the nature of the largely hidden Neoproterozoic rocks of the Arabian plate. Our integrated field, petrographic, geochemical and geochronological study in the Neoproterozoic rocks recognizes three main successive events: (1) high-temperature ductile deformation and metamorphism forming probably in a compressive or transpressive regime; (2) mafic to intermediate intrusions as vertical sheets, kilometre-scale gabbro laccoliths, mafic dike swarm and lavas which present mainly a depleted arc signature with some evidences of evolution from an enriched-arc signature; (3) felsic intrusions mainly composed of highly potassic calc-alkaline and pinkish granites dated between 840 and 780 Ma. Relationships between the various petrographic types and U–Pb data suggest that these events occurred during a relatively short time span (80 Ma at max.). Earlier HT-LP metamorphism stage as well as geochemical signature of mafic rocks show that development of Cryogenian formations of Socotra were controlled successively by an Andean-arc and a back-arc setting. These features cannot be easily reconciled with those of the Arabian-Nubian Shield to the west of Socotra and of the Mozambique Belt to the south. We propose that the Socotra basement was developed at an active margin close to the India block in Cryogenian times.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Ph. Olivier and L. Siebenaller for constructive discussions.

We also thank P. Barbey and I. Mercolli for their valuable remarks which helped us to improve a first version of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7193, ISTEP, F-75005, Paris, France

    Y. Denèle & S. Leroy

  2. Géosciences Montpellier, Université Montpellier II, UMR CNRS 5243, Place Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier, France

    Y. Denèle

  3. IFREMER, Centre de Brest, BP70, 29280, Plouzané, France

    E. Pelleter

  4. CRPG, Nancy-Université, CNRS, F-54501, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France

    R. Pik

  5. CREGU, F-54501, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France

    J-Y Talbot

  6. Geological Survey, Sanaa, Republic of Yemen

    K. Khanbarri

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  1. Y. Denèle
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  2. S. Leroy
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  3. E. Pelleter
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  6. K. Khanbarri
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Correspondence to Y. Denèle .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geology and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Energy, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Khalid Al Hosani

  2. Géologie-Géochimie-Géophysique, IFP Energies Nouvelles, Rueil-Malmaison, France

    Francois Roure

  3. ritish Geological Survey (BGS), Kingsley Dunham Centre, Nottingham, UK

    Richard Ellison

  4. Earth Sciences, Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Stephen Lokier

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Denèle, Y., Leroy, S., Pelleter, E., Pik, R., Talbot, JY., Khanbarri, K. (2013). The Cryogenian Arc formation and successive High-K calc-alkaline plutons of Socotra Island (Yemen). In: Al Hosani, K., Roure, F., Ellison, R., Lokier, S. (eds) Lithosphere Dynamics and Sedimentary Basins: The Arabian Plate and Analogues. Frontiers in Earth Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30609-9_17

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