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The upper mantle beneath Kapfenstein and the Transdanubian volcanic region, E Austria and W Hungary: A comparison

Der obere Mantel unterhalb Kapfenstein und der Transdanubischen Vulkanischen Region, E-Österreich und W-Ungarn: Ein Vergleich

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Summary

A representative suite of ultramafic xenoliths from Kapfenstein, Austria, has been investigated petrographically. Textures and mineral chemistries are compared with published data on Hungarian xenoliths and discussed within the framework of the hypothesis of a mantle diapir beneath the Transdanubian Volcanic Region (TVR) of E Austria and W Hungary. We succeeded in recognizing important differences which seem to support the TVR mantle diapir concept. Below the external part of the TVR (Kapfenstein) the upper mantle seems to be essentially untectonized and lithologically rather monotonous (e.g., Type II clinopyroxenites are absent). In contrast, both deformed (equigranular) and undeformed (protogranular) peridotite xenoliths occur in the internal part (Balaton area) where Type II clinopyroxenite xenoliths as well as Type I/Type II composite rocks are present. It is remarkable that at Gérce (Hungary), situated approximately mid-way between the internal and external regions, almost exclusively porphyroclastic xenoliths occur.

The undeformed xenoliths from Kapfenstein are largely unfractionated. A small proportion exhibits depletions in basaltic component or some mild influence of mantle metasomatism. Several mineral chemical parameters, such asmg-number of olivine, Al2O3 content of spinel and clinopyroxene, apparent pyroxene equilibration temperature, etc., show a narrow distribution with a pronounced maximum in the undeformed Kapfenstein xenoliths. By contrast, the deformed xenoliths from the internal TVR show a much broader range of values with no distinct maximum, attesting to a more complex chemical and physical evolution. Thus a direct relationship between deformation and chemistry seems to be confirmed. The deformed rocks can be extreme in two ways: they can either be strongly depleted or strongly enriched as documented by the high contents of clinopyroxene in equigranular xenoliths from Szigliget. Tectonization apparently opens the way for mass transport in either direction.

Zusammenfassung

Eine repräsentative Suite von ultramafischen Xenolithen von Kapfenstein, Steiermark, wurde petrologisch untersucht. Die Gefüge und Mineralchemismen werden mit publizierten Daten von ungarischen Vorkommen verglichen und im Rahmen der Mantel-Diapir-Hypothese für die Transdanubische Vulkanische Region (TVR) diskutiert. Der Vergleich ergab wesentliche Unterschiede, welche das TVR-Mantel-Diapir-Konzept unterstützen. Der Mantel unterhalb des äußeren Teiles der TVR (Kapfenstein) ist praktisch untektonisiert und lithologisch monoton (z.B. fehlen Typ II Klinopyroxenite). Im Gegensatz dazu finden sich im inneren Teil (Balaton-Region) sowohl deformierte (equigranulare) als auch nicht-deformierte (protogranulare) Xenolithe zusammen mit Typ II Klinopyroxeniten. Auch zusammengesetzte Xenolithe, bestehend aus Typ I und Typ II Gesteinen sind vorhanden. Bemerkenswert ist, daß bei Gérce (Ungarn), eine Lokalität, welche sich zwischen dem inneren und äußeren Teil der TVR befindet, fast ausschließlich nur porphyroklastische Xenolithe vorkommen.

Die undeformierten Xenolithe von Kapfenstein sind größtenteils unfraktioniert. Einige wenige zeigen Verarmungen oder geringfügige metasomatische Anreicherungen. Histogramme mineralchemischer Parameter zeigen sehr deutlich die Unterschiede zwischen den undeformierten Kapfenstein Xenolithen und den deformierten der inneren TVR. Die Kapfenstein Xenolithe zeigen typischerweise regelmäßige Verteilungen mit einem deutlichen Maximum. Die Xenolithe der inneren TVR hingegen zeigen eine flache Verteilung und weisen damit auf eine wesentlich komplexere chemische Entwicklung hin. Unsere Daten scheinen einen direkten Zusammenhang zwischen Deformation und chemischer Veränderung aufzuzeigen. Die deformierten Gesteine können in dieser Hinsicht zwei Extreme annehmen: Sie können entweder stark verarmt oder stark angereichert sein. Letzeres wird z.B. beeindruckend durch die hohen Gehalte an Klinopyroxen der equigranularen Xenolithe von Szigliget dokumentiert. Tektonisierung scheint die Wege für Massen-Transporte in beiden Richtungen zu öffnen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Naturhistorisches Museum, Postfach 417, A-1014, Vienna, Austria

    Gero Kurat &  Heinz G. Scharbert

  2. Termeszettudomanyi Muzeum, Muzeum krt. 14-16, H-1088, Budapest, Hungary

    Antal Embey-Isztin

  3. Geological Sciences, Iowa State University, IA 50011, Ames, USA

    Alfred Kracher

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  1. Gero Kurat
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  2. Antal Embey-Isztin
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  3. Alfred Kracher
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  4. Heinz G. Scharbert
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Kurat, G., Embey-Isztin, A., Kracher, A. et al. The upper mantle beneath Kapfenstein and the Transdanubian volcanic region, E Austria and W Hungary: A comparison. Mineralogy and Petrology 44, 21–38 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01167098

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