Timing of deformation, metamorphism and leucogranite intrusion in the lower part of the Seve Nappe Complex in central Jämtland, Swedish Caledonides

ABSTRACT Recent studies in the context of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Project “Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides” have focused on the importance of the Seve Nappe Complex (SNC) for understanding the subduction history of the Baltoscandian margin during closure of the Iapetus Ocean. In the classical Åre area of western central Jämtland, granulite facies migmatites and leucogranites of the Åreskutan Nappe provide evidence of Early Silurian (c. 440 Ma) high temperature metamorphism and a previous prograde, ultra-high pressure history, with microdiamonds. New LA-ICPMS zircon isotope age investigations of the underlying amphibolite facies Lower Seve Nappes, reported here, have also identified an Early Silurian tectonothermal history with pegmatitic leucogranite (c. 443 Ma) and, at lower structural levels, another felsic intrusion of earliest Middle Ordovician age (c. 469 Ma). The latter intrudes isoclinally folded host rock amphibolites and calcareous psammitic paragneisses and is itself tightly folded. Zircons in an amphibolite proved to be highly discordant but indicate Early Silurian metamorphism during isoclinal folding. Detrital zircons in a paragneiss are dominated by Sveconorwegian populations, but also include a range of younger Neoproterozoic grains down to the Early Ediacaran (c. 600 Ma). This new evidence of early Caledonian deformation and metamorphism indicates that, as farther north in the orogen, the Seve tectonothermal history in central Jämtland probably started early in the Ordovician, or before. Subduction and accretion along the Baltoscandian outer margin occurred prior to Scandian continent-continent collision, with Siluro-Devonian emplacement of the SNC across the foreland basins onto the Baltoscandian platform.