Insights into the North Patagonian Massif Lower Crust: Petrology and Microstructure of Granulite Xenoliths

Abstract The continental lower crust constitutes a key zone for understanding the mantle–crust magmatic and mechanical transfers, but its study is hampered by the paucity of lower crust samples. Here, we characterise the petrological, geochemical and petrophysical processes structuring the lower crust of the North Patagonian Massif (NPM; Argentina) using a suite of representative mafic granulite and websterite xenoliths. These xenoliths were entrained by alkaline lavas from five volcanic centres that erupted between the Oligocene and Pleistocene. Electron microprobe and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICPMS) were used to obtain in situ geochemical data on the minerals, while microstructural data were obtained by Electron BackScatter Diffraction (EBSD). Both granulites and websterites display a granoblastic texture and sometimes a weak inherited magmatic layering. Mafic granulite xenoliths show a plagioclase + clinopyroxene ± orthopyroxene assemblage commonly associated with spinel or titanomagnetite. Websterite xenoliths show an association of clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + spinel, along with accessory plagioclase. Mafic granulites and websterites have SiO2 contents ranging from 44 to 53 wt %, while their Mg# varies from 53 to 79. Clinopyroxenes are characterised by weak convex upward chondrite-normalised Rare Earth Elements - REE patterns (Light-REE </<< Mid-REE > Heavy-REE) which are similar to clinopyroxene phenocrysts and megacrysts from intra-plate basalts. Calculated liquid in equilibrium with clinopyroxene have similar REE patterns to those found in Cenozoic basalts from the NPM, suggesting that the xenolith suite represents evidence for underplating processes, possibly related to one of the magmatic events that have occurred in the NPM since the Permo-Trias. Mafic granulites and websterites show a weak mineral shape preferred orientation and an associated weak Crystal Preferred Orientation (CPO) related to the magmatic layering. Recorded plastic deformation is associated with the activation of both (100)[001] and (001)[100] slip systems in clinopyroxene, (100)[001] in orthopyroxene and (010)[001] in plagioclase. However, the activation of slip systems is generally not correlated with CPO in granulites, suggesting that the lower crust underwent subsolidus equilibration and weak plastic deformation in an inactive tectonic context, thereby preserving an inherited magmatic layering. Two-pyroxene (Fe–Mg) thermometer and pseudosection calculations define P–T conditions of the main paragenesis at 760°C to 1120°C and 7.2 to 10.3 kbar, which allows to define the Cenozoic geotherm of the NPM crust at 30°C/km and to reconsider the petrologic Moho depth at ca. 40 km.