The Polish Sudetes: Caledonian or Variscan?

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The Polish Sudetes on the NE margin of the Bohemian Massif comprise a complex mosaic of pre-Permian basement units, traditionally included in the Variscides. A hypothesis of significant Caledonian orogenesis in this area originated in the 1920s, was subsequently rejected, and then was recently revived in models which invoked Early Palaeozoic to Early-Mid Devonian subduction and continental collision along a proposed extension of the Tornquist suture zone. We reassess the evidence invoked in support of the Caledonian orogeny, such as supposed regional pre-Upper Devonian unconformity, Ordovician bimodal magmatism and radiometric, palaeontological, palaeomagnetic and structural data, and suggest these are either inconclusive or misinterpreted. On the other hand, the Sudetes record Mid?-Late Devonian blueschist metamorphism followed by an Early Carboniferous regional high temperature event, widespread Late Devonian/Early Carboniferous flysch/molasse sedimentation and abundant granite intrusion in the Carboniferous to Early Permian. We discuss the usage of the term ‘Caledonian’ in a plate tectonic context and suggest it should not be used simply to denote Early to Mid-Palaeozoic tectonic activity. The tectonic evolution of the Sudetes was temporally different from, and resulted from convergence of different crustal domains than that of the British-Scandinavian-Pomeranian Caledonides. The Sudetic Palaeozoic sequences most probably developed on Armorican Neoproterozoic crust and in adjacent oceanic(?) domains and, therefore, the Sudetes form part of the Variscan orogenic belt.

This publication has 80 references indexed in Scilit: